(Title WIP) - An FMA fic
by Lilybriar of PondClan
Summary: AU-ish. I end up in Amestris only Al has his body, Ed still has automail, tech is a little more advanced, and I have a cool cat. But darkness lies in wait just around the corner. Hope story is even better than summary! Al/Oc, Ed/Winry, any other pairings? Check FMA's actual genres for accurate genres.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Okay, this is my first fanfiction that I've written with humans as the main characters (that I'm willing to post here anyways). It's also the first Fullmetal Alchemist fanfiction I've written. I hope that it's okay.**

**I've been working on this for 'bout...3 months now? I've written and edited up to chapter 4 and I'm working on 5 right now. I also have some friends writing this with me so any parts where the style is kind of different are probably by them.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own FMA, FMAB, or any of the characters in it. I also don't own "A Thousand Years" but it is a good song. Credit for some of this story goes to dahliaheartkitty(who is an author here) and Momo(who doesn't have a account).**

* * *

**~-(My POV)-~**

I walked along the streets of Central, going the opposite direction as all the people hurrying away. What a coincidence that I just happened to pop up right before a huge commotion. _Hmm, I wonder what's up._

"Mew?" I heard from under a bench to my right. I blinked at it and ducked to look underneath at the source of the sound. "Mew," a ginger kitten said. I smiled at it as a drop hit my cheek._ It's going to rain soon_, I thought and looked up at the cloudy sky. I sighed and picked up the little bundle of fur.

"Well, seeing as your mother isn't around, I'm going to take you," I told her as I continued winding through the crowd, which had gotten smaller.

"Meow," the kitten mewed.

"You're right, we need a place to stay. You go find somewhere, I'm going to look at what happened," I said, pointing toward the smoke floating into the sky.

"Me-meow," the kitten nodded and leapt out of my arms. I watched it dash away in awe. _That's one smart cat_, I thought. I shook my head and kept walking. If I was going to check out the trouble, I needed to go now.

* * *

So it turns out, all the commotion was over some bio-alchemist making chimera's or something. I decided to help out with what I could, using whatever little skill I had. And guess who else just happened to be there. It shouldn't be too hard, I didn't know them but I recognized them immediately._ Thank you anime!_ I cheered mentally. I felt the raindrops falling faster, I had almost forgotten about the rain. I doubted anyone would want to be out in this and I don't think a train heading elsewhere would be coming anytime soon.

So, completely out of the blue, I get the courage to walk up to the two and ask if they need a place to stay. _What the hell, Lilly?! What did you just do?!_ I panicked on the inside but kept my features relatively calm. _You don't even know where you're staying and then you invite these two strangers to stay with you_, I thought. _But they're really cool strangers_, another voice whimpered.

"Er, well I suppose we do," one of the two boys said. Alphonse _(My reaction=_ :D_)_

"Al! Don't just accept her offer! We don't know her!" the other shouted. Edward _(My reaction=_ -_-_)_ Eh, then again, what should I expect from Edward Elric. He's a real Jerkface if I remember correctly.

"Hey, do I really look like I'm gonna hurt anyone?" I asked him and held up my hands in surrender. Ed turned to give me a once-over, then frowned.

"You can never be too careful," he muttered and glared at me.

"Sure you can," I said. My statement was followed by silence. I crossed my arms as Ed continued to glare at me. Al turned to his older brother.

"I think we can trust her. She seems harmless," he said. I smirked.

"Then it's settled. Follow me, I need to find my cat." I began walking away.

"A cat? Why do we need to find a cat?" Ed asked.

"Not 'a' cat, my cat. I told her to find me a place to stay and she did," I replied simply.

"And your cat actually listened?" Al asked.

"Yeah, she's really smart. I'm glad I found her when I did," I replied happily.

"You mean she used to be a stray?"

"Yep, just found her and picked her up a few minutes ago."

"Great, why did I have to get stuck with two, cat-loving maniacs?" I heard Ed quietly mutter.

"Hey, cats are very lovable creatures!" I snapped.

"Brother doesn't like cats. He never let's me keep any of the ones I find," Al told me.

"Even if they were just kittens?" He nodded. "And if you found them when it was raining?"

"He would only let me keep them until it stopped raining, but he didn't even want that."

"That's horrible!" I cried. I heard Ed groan.

"We don't have time to care for little kitties, we have more important things to do!" he said.

"More important than helping a poor, innocent, little cat?" I cried.

"Yes."

"That's horrible…" I murmured again. I saw Al nod solemnly in agreement.

"Argh! You two are impossible! THEY'RE JUST CATS!"

"Little, adorable cats," I calmly corrected. I hadn't noticed we'd walked far enough away from the mess that we were back in the busier parts of Central. Up ahead I spotted a mewling, orange cat in front of a hotel.

"Hey look! There she is!" I said and pointed at the ginger kitten. I quickly led the Elric brothers towards the cat and paused in front of it.

"Aww, she's so cute!" Al shouted and picked up the kitten, rubbing his face against it's.

"Mrrrooooowww!" the cat cried. I laughed.

"Okay, let's not smother the poor thing," I told Al. Then I remembered something. "Oh! I forgot!" Al and Ed looked at me in confusion, "We haven't introduced ourselves!"

"You're right we haven't," Al agreed. I turned to Ed.

"You first."

"Why me?!"

"Because I said so. Now stop SHOUTING AT ME and introduce yourself!" I growled. He and Al sweatdropped.

"Okay, fine. I'm Edward Elric, Fullmetal Alchemist," Ed said.

"I'm his younger brother, Alphonse."

"And I'm Lilly Morgan Anderson, pleased to meet you," I said and held out my hands for them to shake. Al put the cat down to shake my right hand while Ed hesitated to take my left.

"Wait, why did you mention your middle name?"

"Because I can. Now shake my hand," I insisted. He did so and then I turned to the hotel, "There, now let's go."

We walked into the building, got two rooms, and then found a place to sit and talk. That just happened to be my room. I sat on the couch with the cat in my lap, Alphonse sat next to me, and Ed sat in an armchair to the right of the couch.

"Hn, now what?" I asked and absent-mindedly petted the cat.

"I don't know," Ed replied.

"Does the cat have a name?" Al asked. I blinked.

"Not yet, I haven't thought of one." I looked at the little she-cat. She had ginger fur and yellow-amber eyes, she had a lithe build and a narrow head. "She's not all fluffy and wide-faced like any of the other cats I've had." _Ginger fur and amber eyes_, I thought. (Light bulb) "I got it! We'll name her Marigold!"

"Why Marigold?" Ed asked.

"Because marigold is a mix of yellow and orange. She is orange and yellow so I'll name her Marigold," I explained.

"I like it," Al commented.

"Then that's her name! I'll have to get her a collar now," I said. "Hey, you said Ed would never let you keep a cat?"

"Yeah."

"Then we can both take care of her! You can have her whenever you guys are with me and I can have her when you're not," I suggested. He seemed pleased but Ed didn't.

"One problem," he said, "What makes you think we'll meet again?"

"This is Central. Since you're a State Alchemist I assume you come here often," I replied. "And besides, I just offered Al a cat. He'll probably pester you into coming back anyway."

"She has a point, brother," Al said as I handed him Marigold. Ed glared at me.

"Fine then," he sighed. "But we might not always come here when we don't have a job. We have other people to see."

"Oh? And who might they be?" I asked.

"Our friend Winry and her grandmother," Al replied. I nodded, of course Winry. Then a grin spread across my face, _that's right, Ed and Winry like each other._

"What's with the grin?" Ed asked warily. I snapped back to reality.

"Oh, nothing! I was just thinking," I replied. "Who is Winry?" I asked, feigning curiosity.

"A good, childhood friend of ours. She's also the one who made Brother's automail arm and leg," Al replied. _Wait, if Ed still has automail, why is Alphonse in his actual body?_ I asked myself. _Hm, must be some weird turn of events._

"Hm, a friend who's also your mechanic. How convenient," I thought aloud.

"Yep, a really good mechanic," Ed said, suddenly in a brighter mood. He flexed his fingers as if to prove how well they worked.

"Hmm," I hummed and nodded. After that, everything got quiet. Al continued petting Marigold while Ed and I just sat there.

"Um, could someone please say something?" I asked in a small voice. Al stopped petting Marigold and looked at me in confusion.

"Why?"

"Because I don't like complete silence like this. I can handle it if I'm listening to something or surrounded by people but otherwise it kinda drives me insane," I replied.

"That's weird," Ed said.

"It takes a weird person to know a weird person," I said. He looked like he was going to make a snappy retort but didn't._ Ha, got him!_ I thought triumphantly.

"Anyway. Yeah, I start fidgeting and getting restless whenever it's too quiet," I said. Then it got quiet again. I twitched. Still silence. I reached over to take Marigold but Al prevented me from doing so. _Still silent._ (Twitch. Fidget. Twitch, twitch)

"Quit torturing me with this silence!" I cried, making the brothers jump and Marigold yowl in surprise. When they still stayed silent (only in shock now) I sat back down and started humming a song. I'm glad I remembered a few songs I've heard, the gate kind of scrambled my memories.

"What are you humming?" Ed asked

"A song," I replied simply.

"I mean what are you humming specifically?"

"A song! I'm humming it because I don't like singing in front of people I hardly know," I replied. I continued humming but then stopped and sighed.

"_Heart beats fast._

_Colors and promises._

_How to be brave?_

_How can I love when I'm afraid to fall?_

_But watching you stand alone,_

_All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow..._

_One step closer..._

_I have died everyday waiting for you._

_Darling don't be afraid I have loved you,_

_For a thousand years._

_I'll love you for a thousand more..._" I let the words trail off at the end. I looked up, blushing lightly, and saw a surprised Ed and a blushing Al.

"Hmph, so much for not 'liking to sing in front of people you hardly know,'" he huffed.

"Shut up before I make you shut up," I growled, embarrassed.

"Ha! I'd like to see you try!" he scoffed. Now, I'm not a violent person, but I seriously wanted to punch this guy in the face right now. I smirked.

"Hmm, well I could always blackmail you," I said. Al looked up at me in terror and Ed gave me a strange look.

"How so?"

"I know an interesting thing or two that I could tell someone else," I hummed. He glared at me and I kept my evil smirk. "Let's see, I could tell Roy you don't completely hate his guts. Nah, that isn't good enough..."

"I could tell Winry about your feelings for her," I looked at him out of the corner of my eye. He was blushing badly.

"How could yo- What? I don't know what you're talking about," he denied, still blushing. Al had a hand clapped over his mouth and looked both surprised and amused.

"You don't? The fact that you're blushing so badly makes me think otherwise," I said. He glared at me.

"You say another word about that and-"

"No worries. So long as you stay on my good side, Winry will never know until you tell her," I assured him. He sighed in relief then stood.

"Come on, Al, it's getting late. We should probably get some sleep."

"Hn, sleep does sound good," I mused. Al sadly put Marigold down and joined his brother.

"Good night," I called after them.

"Good night, Lilly," Al said and waved.

"Night," Ed grunted and kept walking. I waved back and then slumped on the couch after the door closed.

"What a day, huh Mari?" I asked.

"Meow," she replied.

"So much has happened."

"Mrrow?"

"Well, one second I'm in my world and the next I get flung into Amestris. Then there's an explosion and I meet the Elric brothers," I clarified.

"Meow! Meow me-meow mew!"

"And you, of course," I chuckled. "But still. Never would've guessed when I woke up today that I would've been sent here before the day was over." It would've been the last thing I was expecting.

"Meeow," Marigold said and leapt onto the armchair that was previously inhabited by Ed and curled up.

"Night, Mari," I told her and walked into the bedroom. Being too tired to change and having nothing to change into, I just flopped onto the bed and threw the covers over myself. Now to get some sleep.

* * *

**So... Love it? Hate it? Review it? I'm open for any critique and help, but no flames. Don't like? Then don't read.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: My next chapter! Yay! I hope you enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own FMA, FMAB, or any of the characters in it. Credit for some of this story goes to dahliaheartkitty(who is an author here) and Momo(who doesn't have a account). (dhk wrote the dream sequence)**

* * *

**'(Marigold's POV)'**

I jumped as I heard screaming coming from that girl's room. _Eh?! What's wrong?! Why would she be making that sound?_ I quickly got up and went to investigate. I was met by the sight of her screaming and thrashing about in her sleep.

"Oh, great! A bad dream!" I meowed. I started meowing and trying to wake her up but it was too hard to get close to her. I'll have to get someone to do it instead. Then I remembered that nice boy from yesterday, the one that relentlessly showered me with affection. He'll help for sure! I ran out of the room and towards the boy's. I pushed open the door and frantically looked for him. I looked in one of the beds. _Ahh! Cat-hater!_ I thought and backed away from him. I turned to the other to find the boy I was looking for. I unsheathed my claws.

"I hate to have to do this," I murmured. I leapt onto the bed, digging my claws into the arm of it's inhabitant.

"Aah!" he shouted and immediately sat up. I meowed at him and tried to tug him toward the door. "Wha? Who's screaming?!"

"Lilly, you idiot! Now come on!" I yowled and ran back into the girl's room. He quickly jumps off his bed and follows me. I finally reach the door that I earlier, somehow, opened. I guess he finally realized who was screaming because he whispers Lilly's name aloud. He seemed to stand there in shock.

"Lilly!" He said a little louder and ran over to her. Mission accomplished. He then jumps on the bed and Lilly was thrashing around feverishly. He grabs her shoulders and pins her down. "Lilly, stop! Calm down!"

* * *

**~-(My POV)-~**

_I open my eyes and I'm in a dark room. I feel tight bandages around my wrists and my ankles. I only have a tank top and shorts on, where are my shoes? Where am I? I feel the floor and its cold._

_"Why little missy, you're finally awake," I hear devilish__ laugh in the room. I then see a flash of light and I just noticed that a window just opened. The moonlight was coming in through the blinds and I could tell that there was a lanky shadow in the middle of the room._

_"Who are you?" I asked aloud in fear, where am I?_

_"You don't need to know my name little girl..." the man says br__eathing deeply. He then starts to walk towards me and I crawled backwards to get away from him. He is creeping me out! He reaches to me faster and he grabs a fistful of my hair and yanks it hard. Ow! "Don't try to run away," he said and I see a flash of silver and I felt something cold touching my throat, "unless you want to get your pretty face cut," he said in a cold whisper. I then felt a blade gently touch my cheek._

_Tears rapidly started to go down my face. When I didn't say anything he shook my head roughly and I nodded my head._

_"Now, what am I going to do?" he said and hummed slowly like he was thinking. "Can't kill a pretty girl like you..." he whispered and a evil smile went on his face. I can't get free and I'm basically paralyzed with fear. "What should I do?" he asked and started to laugh. I started to cry even harder, once he didn't hear me answer he tightens his grip on my hair and slams my head onto the cold floor. "What should I do?" he asked louder scaring me into talking._

_"Maybe letting me go?" I asked as an instinct. His eyes narrowed and he got closer to me._

_"Not a chance, I'm going to play with you for a bit, then I might bribing some people into paying to get you back, maybe then I'll kill you," he said, let my hair go, walked backwards, and started to laugh. I had no control over the tears I had streaming down my face. "Good night little girl," he said and shut the curtains and I hear a metal door open then close and I'm, once again, back in total darkness. I don't know how long I was left in there but I didn't see light for a long while._

_- – — – -_

_I open my eyes and I'm in different clothing, I'm not in shorts and a tank top, I'm in a t-shirt and jeans. Am I finally out of there?_

_"Wake up!" he said and I heard a door open. Damn, I shouldn't get my hopes up next time. I then noticed that I still have the partial full bandages on. "I got you food so you won't naturally die on me," he said throwing a bag towards me. Wow, I'm finally getting food? After what two days? That was earlier than the last time! "Do I hear a thank you?" he asked and I flinched. I don't want so say thank you to the very man that has kept me a prisoner for about a month, yet I want the food and I don't want to be punished... I'm still healing from the last bruise on my side..._

_"Thank you..." I said quietly, barely having enough energy to say it. The man, whose name I still don't know, narrowed his eyes and came up to me. No please don't! He grabbed my neck and pinned me to the wall._

_"What do I get?" he asked, trying to intimidate me. I'm so freaking tired of this, I know where he keeps his only gun and knife, in his pocket. If this goes as planned I might be able to escape! Yet I can never predict his next move._

_"Thank you sir," I said a little louder than earlier. I gently put my hand in his pocket and today he only has his knife. I take it out and hid it in my shirt. He didn't notice anything. He lets me go and looks at me._

_"That's right Lilly," he said and turned to leave the room. Really quickly I cut my bandages and ran silently and barefoot behind him. He doesn't even notice that I'm right behind him. He noticed a little too early. He turns around but I was already prepared. He has the door open, this is my opportunity I raise my left leg and blown a hard kick to his face. I learned a little bit of tackling from him when he would "punish" me. He falls to the floor and I run out of the room, and into the sunlight. I looked around and a smile appeared on my face. I'm free! I then hear a gun cock, oh no._

_"Turn around little girl, or I'll blow your brains out!" he said. I then came to realize that I'm in the middle of nowhere. I slowly turned around and my eyes went wide. He held a gun pointed straight at me. Oh no... "I didn't want to kill such a pretty girl like you, I guess this is how it has to be," he said and aimed the gun at my chest._

_"Please don't!" I managed to say before I hear a gun fire._

* * *

When I wake up, I'm back in my hotel room. _Huh? What's going on? Why is my throat so sore?_

"Eh, Alphonse? What're you doing?" I asked and looked up at him. For whatever reason he had me pinned down, _hmm I knew I rolled around in my sleep but my bed looks like a mess._

"Uh, well," he started, the rest was just a blend of words, "youwerescreaminginyoursleepsoMarigot meandIwastryingtowakeyouupbutyouwerethrashingaroun dtoo,soI-"

"Whoa, slow down! I'm still half-asleep and you're talking way too fast!" I told him. He stopped talking and looked away. I took a moment to process what he had said.

"Okay, so, I was having a bad dream. Marigold heard me screaming, got you, and then you tried to wake me up?" He nodded. _Hmm._ "And waking me up involved hopping up onto my bed and pinning me down?" I asked teasingly. I saw his face go red in embarrassment and I smiled. I nudged him with my elbow.

"Hey, it's fine. See? No worries," I said, "Thanks, Al." I stood up and pulled him up with me. Then I froze. "Aaah! Major headache! I need caffeine!" I shouted, scaring Al. I turned to him and laughed. "Sorry, caffeine headache."

"You need to stop scaring me like that!" Al scolded.

"I know, sorry. But if I don't get coffee soon, I'm gonna have a horrible headache all day," I explained.

"Well, let's get Brother up and we can get you some," Al said. I nodded.

"Sounds good to me." He led me and Marigold to his room, where Ed was still sleeping.

"Jeez, how could you guys sleep through my screaming?" I asked.

"Uh, heavy-sleepers I guess?" Al said and shrugged.

"More like extremely-heavy-sleepers," I muttered. I saw Marigold nod in agreement and flex her claws. _She must've woken Al up by clawing him_, I thought.

"Hey, did Marigold have to use her claws to wake you up?" I asked.

"Yeah," he replied.

"Are you okay? I speak from experience when I say cat claws _hurt_," I asked.

"I'm fine, her claws didn't go too deep," Al assured me.

"Alright," I said. Al turned to Ed and tried to wake him up. I picked up Marigold and walked over to him. "Let's see if The Claws will work on him." I aimed Marigold at Ed's left arm, knowing his right was automail. _Ready_, Marigold unsheathed her claws. _Steady_, I prepared to toss the kitten at Ed. _Go!_ I threw Marigold at Ed and she dug her claws into his arm. Ed yelled in pain and sat up, waving the arm Marigold was on frantically.

"Get it off! Get it off! Get it off!" he shouted over Mari's yowling. Al and I laughed as we watched the hilarious display.

"Al! Don't just sit there! HELP!" We only laughed harder.

"Sorry, Brother," Al said between laughs, "it's too funny!"

"Funny doesn't even cover it!" I said, holding my sides. It was a while before Ed managed to fling Marigold off his arm and at my head. "Aah! Attack of the flying, ginger furballs!"

"Ha! How do you like it?!"

"Oh shut up, Fullmetal! Mari would never hurt me!" I replied and took the cat off my face. Al was just starting to get over his fit of laughter when I told the cat to get him. Marigold leapt onto his head and clung to it.

"Ah, she's got me!" Al laughed. Marigold seemed to finally get fed-up with our nonsense. She climbed off of Al's head and walked out of the room.

"Now that that's over," Ed started, "WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH THROWING THE CAT ON ME?!"

"Well, it worked on Al earlier," I replied. He looked at Al.

"Lilly was having a bad dream so she was screaming in her sleep. Marigold heard her and came to get me. She woke me up the same way she did to you. Then I woke Lilly up," Al said.

"Huh, you must've had a really bad dream if you were screaming," Ed told me.

"Yeah. Thing is, I don't think it was a dream," I shuddered, "I think it was a memory..."

"A memory?"

"Yeah, well..." I stopped. If I tell them my dream, I'll have to tell them I'm from the other side of the gate.

"Well?"

"Well, uh," I took a deep breath. "I'm from the other side of the gate."

"The other side... Of the gate?" Al asked.

"Yes, the gate of Truth."

"I didn't know there was another side," Ed said.

"Yeah, it's like a parallel universe. It's actually not so different from this one, it just doesn't have alchemy," I said.

"No alchemy? How?"

"I can't remember why. Once I passed through the gate and ended up here, I lost parts of my memory," I replied. _Come to think of it, what happened at the gate? I can't remember seeing it and I definitely didn't pay any toll to get through. Strange..._

"And that's why you think your dream was a memory?" Al asked.

"Yep," I replied then winced at a sudden sharp pain in my head.

"What's wrong?" Ed asked.

"Need coffee..."

"Eh?"

"She needs coffee. If she doesn't get any she's going to have a bad headache," Al told his brother.

"Oh, well then. Get up and we can get some," Ed said

"Nnn, head hurts," I mumbled.

"What, do we need to drag you?"

"No you stupid Cat-Hater," I replied, "This one is staying here."

"Cat-hater?" Al asked and held back a laugh.

"Why are you talking in the third-person?" Ed asked.

"Hn, because this one can."

"I think she's going crazy," Ed said to Al.

"Let's go, if she's not going to come, then we have to get the coffee for her," Al said and left the room. Ed followed him and I was left alone in their room. _Hm, I wonder if they carry anything interesting with them_. I looked around, nothing. _They must travel lightly, I thought. Ha! heavy-sleepers and light-travelers! I crack myself up..._

"Hn, this floor is comfortable enough to sleep on," I said to myself. Then I looked up at the two beds. "A bed is better though..." My head was throbbing as I looked at the door. _I don't want to have to get up, my head hurts._

"This one hates caffeine-deprivation headaches," I said. _Those two better hurry up and get my coffee before I figure out how to use alchemy and kill something._

* * *

I felt something tap my side and I winced. "Hey, wake up." I groaned and turned away.

"Come on, wake up." I knew who's voice that was.

"Hn, why does the Cat-Hater bother this one? She is trying to sleep," I asked. Jeez, that tap just reminded me of that bruise... Scary...

"Why do you keep calling me that?!" Ed asked. I heard Al snicker.

"Better Cat-Hater than Shrimp, yes?" I said, suppressing grin. I sighed while Ed ranted over being called "Shrimp".

"Calm down, jeez. You need to stop getting so worked up about being called short," I said and sat up. "If it makes you feel any better, you're not that much shorter than me."

"How old are you?"

"14." He turned away, shoulders slumping. "Ah, lighten up. You'll grow... Eventually..."

"I don't think you're helping, Lilly," Al said. I shrugged.

"Eh, sorry. Not so good with 'feel better' speeches," I said. Then I noticed what he was holding. "COFFEE!" I jumped up and took it from him. I immediately chugged it down.

"Uh."

"Yay! I feel better now!" I cheered, "Thankies!"

"Er, no problem." I winced again held my hand up to the bruise I knew was on my side. Both Ed and Al looked at me in concern.

"I'm fine, just an old injury." They didn't look convinced. _Great, now I have to explain _that_ to them._

"Lilly," Al said looking at me with a sense of seriousness.

"What?" I said trying to make it sound reasonable and not like I have a huge bruise on my side.

"Lilly what are you not telling me? I asked you earlier to not freak me out," he said with concern. I then looked at him. He went to lift the bottom half of my shirt where the bruise was. Then something in me clicked and it felt like I had no control over my body. Both my legs went up towards his neck and wrapped around his neck. Then with the momentum I moved my upper body towards him making him fall back. His eyes widened when he seemed to notice what was going on. When he hit the floor his eyes closed and he went limp. I saw him breathe so he just passed out. I then blink and shake my head.

_What the hell did I just do?_ I thought and looked at the awkward situation that I somehow put myself into. Both my legs were on either side of his chest and I had my hands flat placed between them. Like a cat!

"Al!" Ed said and I feel arms go underneath mine and I feel myself get pulled up and away from Al. The same feeling like earlier clicked in and I put all my weight in my feet and I lift my arms and place them on Ed's shoulders. I get my left leg and sweep it back and behind Ed's right leg tripping him off balance. I then bent forward putting more pressure on my hands and flipped him off of me. He lands directly onto of Al and he passes out also.

I then blinked and shook my head. What a weird feeling... Wait wasn't I on top of Al just now? _Jeez, this day has barely started and it's already more confusing than yesterday!_ I thought. Then I looked at the unconscious brothers.

"I is amazing! I took down both Elric brothers in a matter of minutes!" I shouted triumphantly. Then I felt a twinge of guilt, _aww but I hurt Al_. I looked down at Marigold, who was standing in the doorway. "Oh, hi Mari!"

"Meow..." she said and stepped away from me. I laughed nervously.

"Oh, you're probably a little scared huh?" I said. "Um," I looked back at Ed and Al, "That was an accident."

"Meow, me-meow," Marigold sighed and shook her head. She sat down in the doorway and began licking her paw.

"Some help you are." I sighed. Well, I should probably move them. _I don't want Al to suffocate under Ed, that wouldn't be good at all_, I thought. I grabbed one of Ed's arms and tried to drag him off of Al. I took a step back and pulled on his arm.

"Jeez, he sure is heavy," I said and continued pulling, "how in the hell did I flip him off my back?" I continued sluggishly pulling Ed off of Al and Marigold stopped her grooming to look up at me. I heard her sigh and she got up and stopped at Ed's feet.

"Meeeow," she said as she pushed one of his feet. Together we managed to get Ed off his brother, not without "accidentally" bumping him into stuff.

"There," I said, "now we just need to wait for them to wake up."

"Mew," Marigold nodded. She padded up to Al and laid down on his chest.

"Silly furball," I muttered affectionately. With a sigh, I walked over to one of the beds and laid down. _Hmm, if I remember correctly. This is Al's bed_. I nodded to myself, _good, I don't want to be on the bed of a__** cat-hater**_.

"I don't see how you can not like cats. You don't even have to do anything with them! They can take care of themselves and all you have to worry about is fixing them and paying attention to them!" I thought aloud. I shook my head, _oh well_. I hummed a few songs to pass the time and it was about halfway through a third one that I heard one of the brothers waking up.

"Hn, 'bout time one of you woke up," I hummed. Al sat up, making Marigold fall into his lap.

"Yeah well, I was just knocked to the ground for being concerned about my friend," he said.

"Er, yeah. I'm really sorry about that," I apologized. "I don't know what came over me."

"It's fine," Al told me, "who knows, maybe those instincts will come in handy some day."

I laughed, "Heh, maybe." I rolled onto my side so I could see him. "It's weird. It was like one second everything was fine and the next something inside me panicked and took control." I shuddered.

"Yep, and I was out-cold on the ground," he reminded me.

"That was actually kind of cool. I didn't know I could do something like that," I said. _Then again, I didn't know I would be able to get away from that guy either and I did_. I winced at the thought. Al looked at me in concern.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yeah, just thinking," I replied.

"About your dream?"

"Yeah."

"What was it about?" Al asked.

"A really bad memory," I answered, "it has to do with how I got a bruise on my side."

"Is that what that was about earlier?"

"Er, yeah," I said, remembering that he hasn't seen it yet. He sighed.

"You could've said so sooner."

"Yeah, but then you'd get all worried and stuff..." I said.

"Well, of course. That's what you do when a friend is hurt," Al said.

"Eh, that's my point. I don't want you to be worried about me." I stopped, "We've only known each other for a little over a day now and you already consider me a friend?"

"Er, well, don't you consider us as friends?" Al asked turning to his still unconscious brother. Was he blushing a little?

"Of course I do!" I said quickly, " well no so much the cat-hater, but yeah. I was just saying it's strange."

"I guess it is." We were silent for a moment after that. He then looks over into my eyes and then my right side where my bruise is.

"Hey Lilly," Al said looking back up to me.

"What?" I asked cautiously.

"Hey, um..." He said getting very nervous. "It's going to be a very weird question but, umm..." He said started to scratch the back of his head. "Could I check the bruise on your side?" He said and started to blush lightly.

"Um..." I said a little confused of his question. "Sure?" I said and his eyes widen.

"Really? What if those 'instincts' come kicking in again?" He asked. I just shrugged my shoulder.

"Maybe it'll be different because you actually asked before acting," I said and look at him.

"Touché," he said and sat next to me on his bed. He then takes the side of my shirt and lifts it so then it only shows the...dang that's a huge bruise! Al's eyes widen in worry and shock. "Lilly how did you get this!" He asked his voice raising a bit.

"Er, well-" I was cut off when Ed quickly stood up. _Oh flipping Chikoritas, the Cat-Hater's awake!_

"Al?!" he turned around in search of his brother. He stopped and looked at us. "What's going on here?" he asked in a restrained voice. Both Al and I blushed.

"Uh, er, he wanted to see the bruise on my side and make sure I was okay," I explained nervously.

"Bruise? What are you talking about?" he walked over, "HOW THE HELL DOES SOMEONE LIKE YOU GET A BRUISE LIKE THAT?!"

"Someone like me?" I said to myself, wondering what he meant by that.

"She was about to explain that before you woke up," Al replied.

"I was going to explain it to you. However, I do not trust the Cat-Hater," I said loud enough so only Al could hear.

"Aw, come on. He just wants to help."

"I do not accept help from_ CAT-HATERS_!" I growled.

"He's the one that bought the coffee I gave you," Al pointed out. I blinked then turned away, frowning.

"That coffee tasted terrible," I muttered.

"Hey!"

"I didn't know coffee could taste good," Al said.

"You haven't had it the way _I_ make it then! I make awesome coffee!" I said.

"How did we go from talking about a bruise to talking about coffee?" I heard Ed ask himself.

"Meow meow mrrroow," Marigold replied. Ed looked down at her.

"Nobody asked you, cat." Marigold hissed at him.

"Play nice, kitties," I told them and sat up.

"I'M NOT A CAT!"

"Pfft, well yeah. Obviously you're not," I told him. Then I thought about it for a bit. "Actually you act like one sometimes."

"What are you talking about?"

"You sleep a lot, you're always in a bad mood, and you like picking fights with other people," I replied, "Those are like, the most common traits in tom-cats."

"Hah! Brother is like a cat!"

"NO I'M NOT!"

"Yes you are!" Al and I said in unison. Ed noticed he was out-numbered and turned away.

"C'mon, lighten up! Cat's are really cool," I said, attempting to cheer him up. Fail. "Fine then." I walked around the room and tried to think of something to do.

"Mew meow me-meow mew meeow?" I heard Marigold ask.

"Yes, you do need a collar," I replied and picked her up. "Come on you two, Mari needs a collar." _And I need new clothes, sadly a change of clothes didn't follow me through the gate._ Alright, my first day in Amestris, let's try not to get into any trouble today.

* * *

**A/N: Yeah, take note. I'm a wimp, seriously. I only have any strength in this fanfic when those 'instincts' kick in. Anyway, yeah, this story is pretty entirely fictional so don't take "my" backstory seriously.**

**Love it? Hate it? Review it? I'm open for any critique and help, but no flames. Don't like? Then don't read.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Okay, now we've gotten to one of the better chapters. Chapters 1 and 2 aren't my favorites but they were presentable. I might have to do a bit of a rewrite but, oh well. When I first started writing this it was NOTHING like what's posted here. But anyways, here's chapter 3.**

**DISCLAIMER: I still don't don't own FMA or the song used below. ****Credit for some of this story goes to dahliaheartkitty(who is an author here) and Momo(who doesn't have a account). (dhk wrote Al's POV)**

* * *

**~-(My POV)-~**

"By any chance, does Central have a pet shop?" I asked. Ed shrugged. _I wasn't asking you, Cat-hater, I knew you wouldn't know._

"There might be," Al replied.

"Do you know where?" I asked him.

"Hmm," he hummed. "No, I don't," he replied apologetically.

"Okay, we'll just have to look around then," I said. I held Marigold in my left arm while my right stayed limp at my side. I never noticed, but I tended to do that whenever I was hiding or protecting something. We continued walking along, only making idle chitchat.

"Y'know, I don't get how you can not like cats," I said to the Cat-Hater as I skimmed through all the different stores on this street.

"Why should I like them?"

"Because they're amazingly adorable!" I replied.

"Still don't like them." I stopped and turned around, holding Marigold up to his face.

"I will make you love the adorable little kitten!" I shouted. Ed stepped back in surprise of the sudden movement.

"B-but I don't wanna!" he said, pushing Mari away. I glared at him.

"TOO BAD!" I shoved Marigold at him and turned to resume walking. I smiled when I heard Al start laughing and turned my head to see if Ed was following. He and Marigold glared at each other but didn't start fighting. "Problem solved!... Kinda."

"They'll learn to get along," Al assured me.

"They better, or I'm kickin' someone out of this group! And it ain't gonna be Marigold!" I yelled behind me.

"Oh come on, you wouldn't make Brother leave."

"I guess I wouldn't, I'm just making sure Ed knows his place in this group," I said. I stopped in front of a shop. "Here we go! Just what we were looking for!" I took Marigold and walked inside. I looked around and saw all kinds of stuff for pets!

"Look at all the stuff, Mari!" I told her and started walking around. She meowed and looked around as well. We passed through several sections of pet toys and treats (etc.) before we found collars. "Alright, which collar do you want?"

"Meow..." Marigold looked at the various kinds of collar. It seemed like she found something she liked and jumped out of my arms. She walked up to a row of collars and climbed up. She stopped and batted at one of the collars.

"Found one?" I asked and pulled it out. It was a vibrant green color with a bell on it. "Hmm, nice choice, Mari!" I picked her up and turned to walk to the cashier, but... "I don't have any money..."

"Meow!? Meow me-meow me mew meow mew meow-me!?" Marigold yowled.

"Hey, I apologize for not bringing any money when I came here! I kind of didn't get a chance to run home and get any!" She looked at me in question and I winced. Why did I bring that up?!

"Mew...?"

"It's nothing. C'mon, let's see if Ed or Al have any money," I said, setting the collar down. I wouldn't doubt that they do. I looked outside to see if they were still outside. Nothing. "They must've followed us in," I muttered. I looked around the store but couldn't find them.

"They better not have ditched me," I growled. I tried to think of places those two would go to, but came up with nothing. In fact, I hardly know what their interests even are! I thought. "Some FMA/FMAB fan I am," I muttered. I looked around again and saw them a little ways away from the shop talking.

**=^(Al's POV)^=**

I watched as Lilly walked into the pet shop. What is this feeling in my chest? I felt it when she was screaming earlier this morning. I look over to Brother and I was wondering something, maybe he might know what it is!

"Brother, I have a question," I said and he turns to face me.

"What is it Al?" He said looking at me.

"How do you feel when you're around Winry?" I asked and he flinched, maybe at the sudden interest of his feeling for her.

"Um... Well. My heart races and I feel something in my chest and I suddenly become a few degrees warmer, I really don't know, why are you asking?" he said turning the situation back at me.

"We'll um..." I said getting really nervous. "It's because I'm thinking..." I said and then I tried to think what I was thinking. What is it about Lilly that makes my heart race? "I think I'm falling in love," I said the words slowly rolling off my tongue.

"WITH WHO!?" Ed yells his eyes widening.

"Um..." I said probably getting red.

"Al with who?!" Ed said again getting a bit upset and curious.

"Umm..." I said and breathed in, "Lilly?" I said and his eyes went so wide I thought they would pop out of his head.

"WITH HER!?" He roared.

"Maybe, I don't really know yet," I said and looked up at him. "Well, whenever she's around me I feel all fuzzy so what do you call that?" I asked around kind of going on the defense.

"It's probably gas," Ed said and my eyes widen.

"No! It's more than that!" I said aloud. Ed just stands there and facepalmed himself.

"Al, you're too young to fall in love," he said slowly.

"What?!" I yell. "I'm not too young, I'm 14!" I said practically yelling my head off. Why am I acting like this, is it only when it comes to Lilly? "How old were you when you fell in love with Winry?" I said, already knowing the answer.

"I thought I would never have to talk about this..." Ed says slowly like if he were a parent about to explain something to a child. "Al how much do you like Lilly?" He asked me catching me off guard.

"What do you mean?" I asked him.

"Oh my... Al do you love Lilly to the point where you'll protect her from anything?" He said. Oh...

"Yes," I said and he nods his head.

"Well Al," he said and slung his arms around me and we face the pet shop. She hasn't come out yet. "One thing is that you're in love," he said planting a weird smile on his face. My arms are at my side and I really can't move. "Second thing is that you should tell her about you love towards her," he said and his smile widen.

"What?!" I yelled and my eyes widen. "Brother!" I said and I start to see Lilly walk out. Ed then gets behind me and grabs my shoulders.

"Ready, aim...go!" He yells and Lilly turns her head towards us. Brother then pushes me right into her. Hard, we both fall on the floor and I land on top.

"Victory for me! Payback Lilly Anderson!" I hear Ed behind us and I hear footsteps running away. Oh my, did he just leave us? I look down and I see Lilly's face, it's beat red.

"Al..Al?" She said her eyes widening.

"I...I swear it wasn't me, it was Brother!" I said stuttering a bit. Her eyes then narrows and her face went to its original color.

"Cat-hater..." She said and crawled out from under me. We both stand up and I see Ed standing a whiles away from us. "Cat-hater!" Lilly yells and runs after Ed. Ed freaks out and runs away but Lilly got to him first. She grabs his golden braid and pulls it back. I then freak out and run towards him.

**~-(My POV)-~**

"What the hell is your problem?! You don't just go and push people into each other like that!" I yelled as Ed tried to get away. "You, Cat-Hater, have just made my revenge list!"

"Revenge List?"

"YES! And I always get my revenge, so you better watch your back!" I growled and let go of him. I hit him upside the head and sighed.

"Anyways, now that that's over. I need money to buy Mari a collar," I said.

"You don't have any?" Al asked. I jumped, _when did he get there?_

"No, sadly I didn't grab any before I came here," I said, almost the same way I told Marigold. "Anyway, it wouldn't matter if I did have some. Your currency is different from mine."

"Oh," Al said.

"Yeah, what a shame. I guess we'll just have to get it later," Ed said. I stopped him.

"Oh no, we're getting that collar. And you're paying for it," I turned him towards the pet shop and pushed him towards it. "Go on."

"Oh come on, you can't be that upset over something like that!"

"Oh yeah, let me shove you into Winry and see how you feel afterward," I told him. That shut him up. "The collar's emerald green with a bell on it, it shouldn't be too hard to find," I said. It wasn't until Ed entered the store that I realized Al and I were alone now (except for Marigold but she wasn't paying attention to us). I glanced over at him then quickly looked away. _Stupid Cat-Hater, now you've made things awkward between me and Al_! I closed my eyes and began humming.

"That song," Al said. I looked at him, still humming.

"Hm?"

"That's the one you were singing yesterday, isn't it?" I stopped humming so I could reply.

"Yeah it is," I said, "There's another verse after the one I sung, but it's sung by a guy."

"Oh," Al said looking a little disappointed.

"I can still sing it, though," I said. I closed my eyes again.

"_Heart beats fast._

_Colors and promises._

_How to be brave?_

_How can I love when I'm afraid to fall?_

_But watching you stand alone,_

_All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow..._

_One step closer..._

_I have died everyday waiting for you._

_Darling don't be afraid, I have loved you_

_For a thousand years._

_I'll love you for a thousand more." I paused to see if Al was still listening, which he was. I blushed lightly and continued._

_"Time stands still._

_Beauty in all she is._

_I will be brave._

_I will not let anything take away_

_What's standing in front of me._

_Every breath,_

_Every hour has come to this._

_One step closer..._

_I have died everyday waiting for you._

_Darling don't be afraid, I have loved you_

_For a thousand years._

_I'll love you for a thousand more._

_And all along I believed I would find you._

_Time has brought your heart to me,_

_I have loved you for a thousand years._

_I'll love you for a thousand more._" I could feel my heart beat faster and my face getting redder. But still, I kept singing. (I think even Marigold is listening now)

"_One step closer..._

_One step closer._

_I have died everyday waiting for you._

_Darling don't be afraid, I have loved you_

_For a thousand years._

_I'll love you for a thousand more._

_And all along I believed I would find you._

_Time has brought your heart to me,_

_I have loved you for a thousand years._

_I'll love you for a thousand more._" I finished the song and looked around. Apparently I hadn't noticed Ed come back because he, Al, and Marigold were all staring at me. I turned away and hid my face.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, you guys are all staring at me and I'm getting embarrassed," I replied. _As if it wasn't enough that just Al was listening._

"Mew meow me-meow!" Marigold said. I smiled at her and picked her up.

"Thanks, Mari." I looked at the two brothers. Al was blushing and Ed was looking at him. I looked back at Marigold, "Am I the only one missing something here?"

"Meow," she replied. I shrugged and turned back to the two.

"Did you get the collar?"

"Yep, here you go," Ed replied handing me the collar.

"Thanks," I said and sat down with Mari on my lap. I slipped the collar around her neck and tightened it enough so it wouldn't come off, but wouldn't choke her either. "There! Now I won't have to worry about you getting lost."

"I doubt she would get lost, anyway. She's too smart."

"Yeah, well, anything can happen at any time," I said darkly. I growled at myself, _I really need to stop referring to that! They might not know what I'm talking about, but I do and I don't want to remember!_ I stood up, brushed myself off, and started walking away.

"Where are you going?" Al asked.

"I don't know, I'm just walking. I haven't seen much of Central yet," I replied. I looked around as we walked, noticing just how big this city was. _I knew Central was big but actually walking around in it makes it seem so much bigger,_ I thought. I noticed there was someone standing in front of me and stopped walking. I looked at him. He looked about my age, maybe a few years older and was wearing a very confident smirk on his face. _Oh how wonderful is this, an airhead is obstructing my forward path._

"Hello," he said.

"Afternoon," I said in a monotone voice and attempted to walk around him.

"Hey, where are you going?"

"Where ever you aren't," I muttered, he didn't seem to hear me.

"Come on, why don't we go hang out somewhere?"

"No," I replied and kept walking. The guy grabbed my arm.

"Don't be like that." he said. A chill ran up my spine and I felt my instincts about to kick in. Suddenly, I felt someone wrap an arm around my shoulder. I looked to see Al standing there. The feeling faded away and I was calm again. Then I had a weird feeling I didn't recognize, I think I had it before when I was singing.

"She said no so I'd appreciate it if you listened to her," he said. I blushed and looked away. I saw the guy frown and walk away out of the corner of my eye and looked back at Al.

"Thanks, I could've handled it myself though," I told him.

"You mean you could've knocked him to the ground unconscious?" he asked.

"Uh, well."

"I don't want you going around beating everyone up, but I'm not going to let anything like that happen either," Al said. I sighed, he had a point. Beating everyone up wouldn't give me a very good reputation. It _would_ make everyone leave me alone, though. _No, you will not beat up anyone else while you're here,_ I scolded myself.

"Okay." I noticed he still had his arm around me and blushed again. Clearing my throat, I said, "Um, you can let me go now."

"Oh! Right, sorry," he said and backed off. I smiled.

"It's fine, but you need to be careful next time. I don't want to have to knock you to the ground again," I said. He nodded. I looked at Ed and Marigold, who were a few paces away giving us knowing looks. "What?"

"Meow-me," Marigold meowed.

"Whatever," I said. I led the three on our walk around Central. I looked up ahead to a store with a sign reading "Café". _Coffee_, I thought and made a beeline towards it.

"Where are we going now?" Ed asked.

"Coffee," I replied.

"But you already had coffee!"

"More coffee," I said and kept walking. As we walked, I passed by a girl who looked kind of familiar. I didn't notice her until we passed her. I stopped and looked back. _It couldn't be her, could it?_ I thought. I shrugged and kept walking. If I remember correctly there is another version of someone on each side of the gate. It must just be a look-a-like.

"Yay! Now I can get good coffee!" I said and entered the café.

"What's wrong with the coffee I got?" Ed asked.

"It had no creamer or sugar," I replied simply. "Anyway, I'm getting coffee. Are either of you getting any?"

"Might as well if I'm paying for everything," Ed muttered.

"No thanks," Al replied.

"Why don't you want coffee?" I asked.

"I don't like it."

"That's no reason! Have you even tried it?"

"Well, no," he said.

"Then you're gonna get coffee!" I said. So we got our coffee and sat at a table. "Okay, first I want you to try it without creamer and sugar."

"I don't know..."

"Come on, just try it," I said. He hesitated. "It's not gonna kill you." He sighed and took a sip.

"Agh! That tastes terrible!" Al exclaimed, startling his brother. I smiled and nodded.

"I agree, that's why I put a whole bunch of creamer and sugar in it!" I pushed said items toward him.

"Hm."

"Here, let me show you," I said. I took the creamer and sugar back. I dumped a ton of creamer in my coffee then did the same with the sugar.

"It's that a bit too much?" Al asked.

"Nope," I replied cheerily and stirred my coffee. I drank some of the coffee. "Hmm, could've had a little more sugar," I said to myself.

"_More sugar?!_ You put a whole bunch in there!" I heard Ed say. _Why does he have to be so loud all the time? It's annoying,_ I thought.

"So? Anyway, my coffee doesn't matter right now," I said and took Al's coffee. I put what would be my minimum amount of creamer and sugar in the coffee and gave it back. "Now try it."

"Okay," Al said and took another sip of the coffee. "That tastes way better."

"I know, it's the best thing ever!"

"Besides cats," he said.

"Well, yeah, besides cats," I agreed. "Because everybody loves kittens!"

"..."

"Except for Ed. Ed doesn't like kittens," I said and drank more of my coffee, "But he doesn't count." Ed choked on his coffee while Al and I laughed. We finished drinking our coffee and looked to see what time it was.

"Hm, it's starting to get late," I said, "Where did the day go?"

"Out the window," Ed replied boredly.

"I'll admit, that was actually kind of funny. And true. But seriously, today went by quick."

"Not for me."

"Shut up! We know you've been bored-to-death all day, Ed," I snapped.

"Well, maybe not _all_ day," he said, "Some eventful things happened." Ed shot Al a knowing look and Al blushed. _Yep, totally missing something,_ I thought.

"I guess it doesn't matter. I'm done for the day anyway," I said. As we left, we passed that girl again. Were her eyes two different colors? It couldn't be her then.

"Hey! Earth to Lilly!"

"What?" I asked, annoyed.

"Are we going back now?"

"Yes, I was just thinking," I replied. So we walked back to the hotel and went to our rooms to sleep.

* * *

I laid, curled up, on my bed in the hotel room. The silent darkness bringing back those horrible memories. It was almost like the place... Like that place, when it was dark and I was alone in the silence. I buried myself under the blankets and tried to drown out the silence with my thoughts. But it didn't work.

"I need to remember to buy a radio next time we decide to go shopping," I said to myself. I was alone in a dark room where it was dead silent. Two things I never wanted to be in again. Tears brimmed at the edges of my eyes.

"And what's worse is I don't even have Marigold with me." _I gave her to Alphonse because I've had her all day._ I turned so I was laying on my right side and winced. _Stupid bruise, you're not helping!_ Finally I just sat up and got out of bed, taking the blanket with me. I wiped away the tears, walked over to the room next door, and knocked... I didn't hear anything so I knocked again, then I heard meowing through the door. I stopped to listen.

"What is it, Marigold?" I heard Al ask. _Thank goodness, she woke up the right person._ I heard the meowing get louder and a bell ringing as Mari approached the door. I heard footsteps follow her and took a step away from the door. The door opened and I looked at Al.

"Lilly? Why are you still awake?" he asked.

"It's too dark and quiet," I quietly replied. I could tell he understood without me having to explain. He let me into the room and looked at me.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, just a bit scared is all," I replied and sat on his bed. Marigold hopped up and rubbed her head on my hand. "Hi Mari."

"Meow mew meow-me?"

"As I said, I'm fine," I told the cat. Al came over and sat by me.

"If you were fine, you wouldn't have come in here," he said. I didn't say anything for a while.

"It reminded me of where I was before I came here..." I whispered.

"Huh?"

"This 'dark' atmosphere. It reminded me of the place I was in before I passed through the gate," I said louder. I brought my hand up to where my bruise was.

"Is that the place where you got that bruise?" Al asked, noticing the movement. I nodded once but stayed quiet. I didn't want to talk because I was afraid my voice would break, then I would start crying. No, staying quiet was better. The silence ate away at me as we sat there. I glanced at Al and saw that he was looking at me. He blinked then turned his head away in embarrassment. I smiled slightly but it faded quickly.

"Before I came here I was kidnapped," I started, "I was trapped somewhere in complete silence and darkness for most of the time then." Al looked back at me to show he was paying attention. "Then there was the guy that kidnapped me. Every time he came there was some excuse to beat me up. Called it 'punishment'." (Air quotes) "Pfft."

"That's horrible," Al said quietly. I took a deep breath and tried to keep the brimming years from spilling.

"It was. I was there for about a month before I tried to escape," I said.

"A month living like that?!"

"Yep. I managed to get his knife and cut off the bandages I had on my wrists. Then I kicked him in the face and got out," I replied. I smiled a little, _I bet he never saw it coming_. "It was about then when I appeared here in Amestris."

"I couldn't imagine why anyone would want to do that," Al said.

"Neither can I," I agreed. I smiled at him, "Thanks Alphonse."

"Why are you thanking me?"

"Because, you've been really nice and understanding since we met," I replied, "You accepted me and wanted to be friends while Ed just wanted me to scram."

"Heh, I guess Brother can be a jerk sometimes," Al said.

"Sometimes? He's a jerk all the time!" I said and laughed. When I stopped, I looked over at Marigold. "In a way, I'm kind of like a cat too. Just a poor little stray wandering around this place."

"And then Brother and I came and met you. And I wanted to take you in and he didn't. Just like every other cat."

"Yep," I laughed again. I love how we always compare things to cats. I stood up and turned to him. "Thanks again, Al." I said and hugged him. He seemed stunned but returned to embrace.

"You're welcome."

* * *

**A/N: Yeah, sorry that's like the only song featured n this fanfic so far. I was listening to it a lot when I was writing this first few chapters. :/**

**Love it? Hate it? Review it? I'm open for any critique and help, but no flames. Don't like? Then don't read.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I decided to post another chapter since this was already done! I hope you enjoy it!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own fma or any of it's characters. Credit for some of this story goes to dahliaheartkitty(who is an author here) and Momo(who doesn't have a account).**

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**~-(My POV)-~**

_Tap, tap, tap._ I hear someone knock on the door of my room and roll over to glare at it. _Do I have to wake up? It's still early and I don't have anything I need to do today_, I thought. I closed my eyes and dozed off again. _Tap, tap, tap._

"Hey, Lilly, are you awake?" I heard Al ask. I open my eyes again. I almost forgot I wasn't at home anymore.

"I am now," I replied and sat up. I rubbed my eyes as Al opened the door.

"Sorry for waking you up," he said.

"Eh, it's no big deal. I might not like getting up in the morning but it's when I wake up," I told him, "Except when I stay up really late, like midnight. Then I don't wake up until noon." Al laughed

"Not that much of a morning person, though?"

"Definitely not. That's why I drink coffee, it makes me wake up," I yawned. "Speaking of which, coffee sounds really good. We'll have to get some."

"Okay then, don't want you to have another headache," Al said. I nodded in agreement.

"That would be a tragedy." I stretched and got out of bed. "I'll get dressed then, you go on and wait," I said looking around. _Where did I put those clothes I got yesterday?_

"Alright." I heard the door close right when I found my clothes.

"There they are! Now, what am I going to wear?" I looked through what I had. I hate choosing what clothes I'm gonna wear, I can never decide. I looked through the clothes again. "This is going to take a while."

* * *

So "a while" later, I decided on some jeans and a nice t-shirt. After I had changed, I left my room and went outside the hotel. Marigold, Al, and Ed were already outside waiting.

"Sorry I took so long. Being half-asleep while finding something to wear isn't a very good combination," I said.

"It's fine," Al assured. Ed looked like he was about to tell me off for making him wait but Marigold shot him a glare to keep him quiet.

"Okay then, let's go get coffee!" I said. So we retraced our steps back to the café we found yesterday and got coffee. I, of course, dumped tons of creamer and sugar in my coffee (something Al also did) while Mari and Ed just sat there.

"I don't see how you can drink something with that much sugar in it," he muttered.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I don't put that much sugar in my coffee," I said and tasted my coffee. "Ooh, that's a little too much even for me."

"Mine tastes fine," Al said.

"Lucky." I stopped when I heard someone else come in. I turned to see who it was and saw that girl from yesterday walk in. For some reason, however, she had bandages over one of her eyes. Her green eye sharply looks over at me and I feel a sharp chill go down my spine. I know for sure now, I've seen her before I just can't picture it, it's on the tip of my tongue! She then walks over to me quickly. I was just frozen, Al and Ed tried to comprehend the expression on my face.

"Lilly, I need to tell you something!" The girl said once she got to me. She then grabs my arm and pulls me away leaving Al, Mari, Ed and my too-sweet coffee behind.

"Lilly, Do you remember me, your best friend?" I looked at her and thought hard. Best friend... Wait!

"Oh yeah! I remember you!" I said loudly. She shushed me.

"You don't have to be so loud, sheesh!"

"Sorry," I said quietly. I knew I've met her before, thing is... I forgot her name. "Um," I started hesitantly, "What was your name again?"

"My name?" she echoed, seeming confused herself. She looked shaky for a second, but she shook her head. "It's Momo."

"Right, right. Sorry it slipped my mind," I said. She sighed.

"It's fine, I guess. Just don't let it happen again!" Momo said. Jeez, I forgot about the temper she had too. She could be really nice, but if you tick her off she gets mad.

"Okay, I promise it won't!" I said then looked back over to Al, Mari, and Ed. They were giving us curious looks, varying from plain curiosity to wtf. "Hey! You should come meet these guys!" Momo looked at them too.

"Who're they?" she asked.

"My friends," I replied.

"I meant what are their names?" Momo asked impatiently. I grabbed her arm and dragged her back to the table.

"You can ask them. Don't worry, they won't bite," the I glanced/glared at Ed, "Except for the short one. He's a real pain."

"HEY! I can hear you!" said alchemist growled.

"Yeah, I know. I didn't intend for you to not hear," I said coolly. Ed glared at me and grit his teeth.

"Please don't start arguing," Al sighed.

"Sorry," I told him. "Anyways, this is my friend Momo. Momo, this is Alphonse, Marigold, and Edward."

"Hello," Al greeted.

"Meow!" Mari said. Ed was silent.

"What's your problem?" Momo asked him.

"Hmph, like I would tell you," he replied. Hateful electricity seemed to spark between the two as they glared at each other.

"Uh, well, anyway," I said, snapping them out of their glare-off, "Why don't you join us and have some coffee?"

"Sure," Momo replied and went to get her own coffee.

"Please tell me she's not going to stay with us." I sat down again.

"Okay, I won't," I said.

"Wait, does that mean she's not staying or she's staying but you won't tell me?" Ed asked.

"I don't know, you told me not to tell," I replied. Al smiled at my cleverness.

"I take it back!"

"Nope, still not talking.~"

"I'm back," Momo said and sat next to me.

"Hey, do you want to stay with us or do you already have a place to stay?" I asked.

"I've got a place already," she replied. Ed seemed relieved by that. _Jeez, is he antisocial or something? Hmm, kind of reminds me of my brother... Heh, they're both major jerkfaces._

"Alright then," I shrugged, "Does that answer your question, pipsqueak?"

"I AM NOT A PIPSQUEAK!"

"Dude, my _younger_ brother is probably your height. And he's about three years younger than you," I said. I could see that he was trying really hard not to punch me in the face right now.

"You have a brother?" Al asked, probably trying to change the subject before Ed could push me into Al again like last time but if he does, I'll get my revenge. Ed if you do, I'll make you dress as a girl.

"I sure do, two of them actually. My younger one talks a lot and is kind of annoying, but really nice. -Unlike someone here- But he's at home on the other side of the gate." I looked at Momo. Why did she have that bandage and why did she cover her eye? I think I'm gonna ask later on today. Oh Momo is looking at me.

"Hey!" Momo said, "What's wrong, why are you staring at me? It's creeping me out, Lil." Momo looked disgusted. I won't ask her yet I guess.

"Nothing is wrong, Momo, I was just wondering why your eye bandage like that, that's all." Shoot! I wasn't suppose to ask yet! I turned away from her and took a sip out of my coffee. I looked at Ed and Al. I could tell they wanted to know why she had bandages over her eye, too.

When I looked at Momo, it looked like she couldn't seem why she had it on. Then she said, "I….I don't remember….Oh nevermind. It doesn't matter how it got on. Who wants some strawberry cheese cake? No? Then I'll get one for myself, be right back!" She walked off.

"She looked fishy there," Ed said, "Hmm…."

"Maybe she doesn't want talk about it. That's what it seemed like to me." Al said.

Scaring me, I jumped. "Yeah, I agree with you Al."

"Hmpf!" Ed said.

"Shut up, you...Cat-hater! You don't know her as well as I do, so keep your mouth shut!" I glared at him. Ed looked scared, _That'll shut him up_. Al looked shocked but he ignored it.

Momo came back with a HUGE cake and smiled while saying "Sorry for taking so long." She sat, and started to eat her cake. Me, Al, Mari, and Ed looked surprised and looked at each other. Wow, I hope she could eat that WHOLE cake by herself.

"It's fine," I said and drank the last of my coffee. "So, what should we do now?"

"I don't know," Momo replied.

"We could leave," Ed suggested.

"Alright, we don't have anything else to do here," I said.

"I'm going to stay and finish eating, you guys go ahead and go," Momo said. We got up and started leaving.

"Come on, Al," Ed said to his brother.

"But, I'm not done with my coffee..." Al said.

"Okay, then, you can stay with her." I saw Al look at Momo and sigh.

"Fine, I'm coming," he said and followed us. I felt bad about making him have to leave his coffee, I wouldn't have left if I still had coffee. But then again, I'm probably not as intimidated by Momo as Al is, I'm used to her.

"Sorry you didn't get to finish your coffee," I apologized.

"It's fine, there wasn't that much left anyway," Al said.

"Doesn't matter, there was still some left."

"It's okay, I don't mind. I don't need coffee as much as you do," Al assured me.

"I guess you're right," I said. I looked around. "I still don't know what we should do or where we should go."

"Hmm. Hey Brother, you don't have anymore jobs to do right now right?" Al asked.

"I don't know, but I don't want to check. That would mean having to go see Mustang," Ed replied.

"Then let's go see Winry!"

"Wha- Why?!"

"We haven't seen her in a while and she hasn't met Lilly yet!" Al replied. _Hmm, he's right I haven't net Winry. Maybe we should go visit her_, I thought.

"But-"

"Oh come on, Brother, you know you want to see her," Al teased. Ed turned away.

"Yeah, come on! I want to meet her!" I chimed in. Ed sighed and gave in.

"Alright, alright! We'll go!" he told us, "I guess it wouldn't hurt to see that crazy gearhead."

"Hey, are you smiling a little?" I asked when I looked at him. Al looked over too.

"No!" Ed denied.

"Yeah you are! You do want to see Winry!" Al said.

"Shut up!" Al and I laughed.

"Ed and Winry sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!~" I sung and skipped ahead. Al laughed harder and I could see Ed blushing. Both Al and I teased him all the way back to the hotel where we picked up our (*cough*my*cough*) belongings.

"Just leave me alone already," Ed pleaded.

"Why? Messing with you is fun!" I said.

"Not for me..." Ed muttered.

"Sorry, Brother. It was pretty funny," Al said. That didn't seem to help Ed's mood.

"We can stop if you want, Ed," I told him.

"Please do."

"Okay," I said. "Let's see, what else can we do then?"

"We can get our tickets for a train to Resembool."

"Well, yeah, I meant to pass time. 'Time flies when you're having fun' y'know?" I said.

"Yeah. And if we can't tease Brother anymore, what can we do?" Al asked.

"Oh well, we can figure it out later." As I looked back, I saw Momo. It seemed she wanted to come but couldn't. I wanted to call out to her but for some reason…

"HEY, look out!" Ed said, making me snap back to reality. BAM! I hit a pole that was in front of me.

"Ouch... that hurt…"

Al came to me, "Are you ok, Lilly? You look hurt!"

"I'm fine. It's just little bump, nothing hurts. Accept for the bump," I said.

"Ok, just make sure you don't do that again."

"Yeah, sure. Thanks." I looked at Ed and he was laughing really hard. _Hmpf, watch this you dumb head._ I kicked him in the leg really hard.

"Ouch! That really hurt y'know, you stupid cat-lover!"

"That's what you get for laughing at me, you jerkfaced _cat-hater_!" I snapped. Marigold hissed at Ed, probably backing me up.

"Who're you calling a jerkface?!"

"You, you jerkface!"

"Guys, come on," Al said. Ed glared at me and I glared at him, then we both turned our heads.

"Hmpf!" we both said at the same time. Al sighs with a little concern. I looked back and saw Momo still standing there, laughing at us for the first time and it looked like she wanted to come over but... couldn't. When she walked away it kinda looked like she was wobbling. I was going to run towards her but the cars passed in front of me and when they stopped I didn't see her. _I hope she makes it back._

I turned around and I heard Ed mumble something. It sounded he said Winry. Al and I laughed guiltily and walked past him... "Catch us if you can!" we both said.

* * *

So, a few minutes later, we got our tickets and boarded a train to Resembool. It looked like Ed was actually a little excited to be going "home", but when I saw Mari she looked at Ed disgust. Al and I looked at each other and started to laugh really hard 'til our stomachs hurt.

"Hey Lilly! When we get there, you should try granny's cooked stew. It's really good." Al said. Ed looked at Al like he knew what he was going to say and grinned.

"Is it really that good?" I asked, unsure.

"HELL YEAH!" Al covered his mouth and started to blush a little. I laughed and smiled. _Heh, even funnier hearing him say it in person!_

"Yeah, it's good," Ed replied, looking a little embarrassed.

"Well then, we'll have to ask her to make it," I said. Then I looked at Al, "And don't say things like that."

"Aww, come on. Brother curses all the time and I can't say one? It's not even that bad," he said.

"Your brother's foul language is no excuse for you to be cursing too," I replied, "Whether it be a major curse or not."

"Okay," Al sighed.

"Besides, if you did things just because Ed did, you would be a completely different person."

"Good point," Al agreed.

"Hey, what's wrong with being like me?" Ed asked in a semi-hurt tone. Al and I smiled and looked at him.

"A lot of things," we said in unison. Ed frowned and turned away to look out the window. Things were pretty quiet after that, but it was a calm silence. The kind I don't mind.

Eventually, Al and Mari had fallen asleep. Ed was still staring out the window but he looked like he could fall asleep any second. _How can they sleep like this? These seats are so uncomfortable!_ I sighed and looked around for something to do.

"Jeez, how do you guys endure these train-rides?" I asked.

"I don't know. Usually we have something to talk about but things have been so calm lately there isn't anything to say," Ed replied. I nodded.

"Hm, guess that makes sense." I looked around again but still couldn't think of anything to do. I glanced at Al, something I had been avoiding since he fell asleep. I had a good reason to be avoiding it, because when I looked at him I couldn't look away. He looked so cute when he was sleeping! _Gah! Snap out of it, Lilly! You can't start fangirling over him when you're sitting right in front of him! And there are too many people around anyway_. I sighed and looked away, blushing slightly.

"I need to find something to do," I said and looked at what I had in my bag. I pulled out some paper and a pencil.

"What are you doing?" Ed asked.

"I'm going to draw."_ Or rather, try to draw. I don't even know what to draw..._ I glanced up at Al again then mentally slapped myself._ No, don't draw him._ I thought. _But look at him_! a voice said pathetically. I looked up again and sighed.

"Are you okay?" Ed asked and looked at me out of the corner of his eye.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just- grr..." I growled in frustration._ Stop. Staring. At. Alphonse._ Ed didn't question any further. "Y'know what? Forget drawing, I'm taking a nap!" I said and put the paper and pencil away. I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

* * *

When we got there it was green everywhere. We got off the train and I looked around. I couldn't understand how it could be so green, I mean, I kinda understood why.

When I looked to my right, I saw a burnt house on the top of the hill. I turned to the brothers, "Hey guys, what happened to that house on the hill?" They both looked at it but turned away and started to walk toward Winry's house.

"None of your damn business!" Ed snapped and started to walk off with Al. I saw a sad look on Al's face and wanted to ask what was wrong, but I didn't because it seemed to bring back bad memories. I'm sure they'll tell me when they are ready.

Mari and I looked at each other and started to run towards them, "HEY! WAIT FOR ME SHORTY AND AL!" With a smile, I ran and saw Al smile too. Ed still took offense from being called "shorty" but looked like he cheered up a little. They led the way to Winry's house while Mari and I followed. Eventually, the house came into view and everyone picked up the pace. Be stopped at the door and looked at it.

"Hmm, so this Winry's house?" I asked.

"Yep," the brothers replied. Ed knocked on the door.

"Coming!" I heard Winry call from inside, followed by barking. _That would be her dog. Den I think it's name was._ The door opened and revealed a teenage girl with blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Hello?"

* * *

**A/N: Love it? Hate it? Review it? I'm open for any critique and help, but no flames.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Woo! Chapter 5! The beginning is kind of "meh" but the rest is better!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own FMA or any of it's characters. Nor do I own all this fluff in this chapter, credit for that goes to dhk.**

* * *

**~-(My POV)-~**

"Hello?"

"Hey Winry!" Ed greeted.

"Oh, hi guys. Nice of you to visit, for once," Winry said.

"What d'you mean 'for once'?! We've visited you plenty of times before!"

"Yeah, because you had to! I hardly ever see the two of you unless _someone's_ automail is broken, because _someone_ is always so reckless!"

"Uh, Winry?" Al cut in. Winry stopped and looked at him, then looked surprised.

"Al?! When did you get your body back?!"_ Eh? You mean he only got his actual body back recently?_

"I don't know. I just passed out a few days ago and woke up in my body," Al replied.

"A few days ago? When exactly?" I asked. Somehow, I felt like I knew something about this. Some memory was being tugged at in the back of my mind. My head started to ache the more I thought about it.

"I think it was the day before we met you, right Brother?"

"Now that you mention it..." Ed said, "Yeah, it was." My head started hurting. _Gah, what the hell?!_

**_"...I'm here with a complaint."_**

**_"A... Complaint...?"_**

**_"Yes."_**

_Is this from when I was at the gate? What was I telling Truth again? All I'm hearing is loud gibberish... What am I shouting about?_

_**"...How, is, that, FAIR?!"**_

_**"What an interesting human you are. You really feel strongly about this... Heh, my won't you make a wonderful addition to Amestris."**_

_**"...I don't have to pay?"**_

_**"No, you don't... Good luck, human..."**_

"Are you okay, Lilly?" Al asked. I must've lost some of my balance because I was leaning into him while he supported me. I blushed lightly and stood upright.

"Ugh, yeah I'm fine. Just a bit of a headache," I replied. _That was weird. Was that from the gate?_ I thought. "I think I might've remembered something."

"What?"

"I think it was from when I was talking to truth at the gate," I said, "All I remember are snippets of our conversation, though." _It would be nice if this headache could go away!_

"Maybe you guys should come inside," Winry said. We followed her inside and found places to sit down. "So, what's your name?" Winry asked.

"Hmm?" My head still hurt a little so it took me a second to register the question, "Oh, my name's Lilly."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Winry."

"Wonderful to meet you, do you have anything that gets rid of headaches?" I asked.

"Probably, let me go see," Winry replied and left the room. The brothers looked at me.

"What did you remember about the gate?"

"Not much, just little bits and pieces of conversation. I was yelling about something being unfair though, but I can't remember what it was," I replied.

"Hmm, I wonder what it was..." Al thought aloud.

"Wait, if you were at the gate, why didn't you lose anything?" Ed asked.

"I don't know. Truth told me I didn't have to."

"You didn't have to?"

"Nope. He just told me to pass through the gate and I'd be in Central," I said, "The way he said I didn't have to pay kind of sounded like he meant 'of course you don't have to pay, why would you?' Like I specifically didn't have to."

"I'd say _that_ is unfair," Ed muttered.

"That wasn't what I was yelling at Truth about," I said, rubbing my head. _What was it? I knew what it was I just need to remember!_

"Well, maybe you'll remember it later," Al said. I nodded in agreement as Winry walked back in. She walked up to me and handed me the pills and also handed me the water. I took the pills and drank some water.

"It's bitter" I said.

"Well, of course. It's suppose to be bitter." Al and Ed laughed a little. When I turned around I saw Winry's grandmother, Pinako, walk in. Al went and hugged her.

"Granny, how are you?" Al asked

"I'm fine. Oh my, Al, you got your body back," Pinako said and Al nodded. She looked over at Ed, "Hey, Ed, come over here for a second." Ed walked over to her. _BAM!_

"Owowow! WHAT DID I DO GRANNY!?"

"You're still short, you made Winry cry a little, and plus you didn't come over for my birthday. But you did great to get stronger. Welcome back." I looked over at Winry who seemed happy for the two to be back and I smiled. I saw Mari rubbing against Winry's leg and she picked her up and threw her in the air.

"She's soo cute! What's her name?" Winry asked.

"Marigold, or Mari for short," I replied.

"Awww, what a cute name for a small kitty like her."

"Yup." I smiled. All of us laughed when Mari got put down and ran to me like the world is ending. Poor cat. Pinako looked at me.

"So, who's your new friend?" she asked.

"Oh this is Lilly," Al said and I held my hand out to Pinako.

"Hi," I said and she shook my hand.

"You keeping an eye out on these two kids? Especially the short one?" she asked and I hear Ed complain like he always does. Ugh, can't he ever stay quiet for once?

"I guess you can say that," I replied and looked at her. Al was right next to me and she was staring at us.

"You two look like you would be an amazing couple!" she yelled and the whole room got quiet. Even Ed got quiet. I felt my cheeks get really warm. I glance to Al and he was beat red. "Aw look at that, they're both blushing!" she said pointing to us.

"What?" both Al and I shuddered in protest. We both look at each other and our hands went up to hide our face, leaving only our eyes vulnerable.

"Look at that, even their ears are red! Look at that Winry, what would you call that?" Pinako said pulling Winry into view.

"A bad case of lovers disease!" she replied holding her chin. What, how did they know?! "Right Ed?" she yelled.

"I'm out of here," Al said in a soft voice and ran out the room leaving me behind with the weird people. They started to laugh and I felt Mari rub my leg.

"So Lilly, what are you not telling us?" Winry asked. I felt my whole face turn a couple degrees warmer. I then dropped my arms, spun around, and ran without a word. I ran out the house and down the brick road. I was shaking my head a bit to clear it. I can barely think! When I looked up again, I tried to stop. But for some reason, like it just magically appeared, I tripped on some rock.

"Ahhhh!" I scream aloud. Al turns around and I run right into him. I was trying to balance but as I can obviously tell it didn't work. We both fell and I happened to fall on top of him!

"What...what..." he stuttered as he was trying to ask me something. I winced in pain. Did I just twist my ankle? _Damn you, you magically-appearing rock! Why you twist my ankle!?_ I happen to noticed that my eyes were closed so when I opened them Al was right in front of my face. My eyes widened.

"Um... Hi!" I said blushing lightly.

"Hi, did you um... Have a nice trip?" he asked also blushing.

"I don't know, I might have twisted my ankle," I said.

"Oh," he said. He then looks to the side and back to me. "Well, this is awkward..." he said quietly.

"I don't think so," I said without thinking. What the hell is up with me?

"Well, do you need help getting up?" he asked and lightly blushed again.

"Maybe," I said and I rolled off of him and laid on the floor. _Ugh, what is it up with me and getting hurt!_ He then stands up and he bends and offers his hand. I grabbed it and he pulls me up, like an idiot I stepped on my hurt foot and stumbled a bit. Al catches me and holds me in his arms.

"So… Can you walk?" he asked and I shook my head.

"Unless you want me to trip on you again…" I said.

"Well, the last time I was caught off balance, but I think I'll catch you the next time…" he said and I look at him. Maybe I could walk, if I like lean on him.

"I could probably walk if you help me…" I pondered aloud.

"Eh, it'll take too long," he said and suddenly picks me up like if I were nothing. What the hell?!

"Al, what are you doing?" I said probably turning a couple shades red. How are my emotions showing so easily!

"Carrying you, if you were to walk on your own it would take all night. I want to be able to eat before then!" he said and started to walk. Wait… is he carrying me bridal style…_Don't think naughty thoughts!_ I tried to calm down and I was quiet the whole way back. Once we get to the front of the house there was a note on the door. Both Al and I read it.

_**Lilly and Al,**_

_**Grandma, Ed and I went down the hill to help out this one dude with his sheep. His sheep herding dog got sick so we took Den down there to help out. We won't be back until tonight. Don't worry about food, we are stopping by the store to get things for stew. So you two will have to wait!**_

_**Winry**_

_**Ed: Hey Lilly, did you have a nice trip? This isn't the last thing I'll do. So beware, I'll do whatever it takes to mess with you… and Al. :)**_

My eyes then widen and all the pieces were put together. He made the magical rock appear!

"Oh my...Ed…. he's just asking for it," I growled in anger.

"Are you going to kill Brother?" Al asked. For a second I was thinking about it. But then again… Al would get sad... Ed's almost the last of his family, from what I remember their father went AWOL on them.

"No Al, that's a bit too mean. Yeah, he was the cause for my twisted ankle but it'll get better…" I said.

"Ok," he said and I nodded my head. He then opens the door.

"Meow!" we hear Mari complain, probably for leaving her behind.

"Sorry Mari!" we both said. Al then walks over to the couch and sits me down. I winced when my foot accidentally hit the floor.

"You ok?" he asked and sits next to me.

"No," I said and looked at him. "What do you do when you have a sprained foot?" I asked him.

"Um… let me see… you bandage it?" he said questioning himself. "Yeah, let me get some bandages," he said and got up to go get some. He then leaves the room. I waited for a while and listened to Al rummaging around looking for bandages. It was pretty quiet in the house without anyone else here. Mari hopped up into the couch and sat next to me.

"So, how long do you think the others will be gone exactly?" I asked.

"I don't know. The note said they wouldn't be back until tonight and they're getting stuff for dinner," I heard Al reply.

"So they probably won't be back until dinner time." I sighed. What would we do until then?! There was no one else here... _Does life hate me or something? Why is it that after something awkward happens, there isn't anyone around to make it NOT awkward?!_

"Meow."

"That doesn't even mean anything. You literally just said 'meow,' are you just bored or something?" I said to Mari.

"Well, she's a cat. Maybe she just wants to meow," Al said.

"Or maybe just make noise, it's pretty quiet." I looked around boredly.

"Aha! Found them!" I heard Al call. 'Bout time, I thought. He comes over with at least three rolls of huge bandages. I didn't know it took that much! He comes over to me and sits on the other side of me. "Take off your shoe, I don't know which one's sprained," Al said and I look at my feet. Meh! I look at my left foot. Ugh, why do I get hurt! I then went to take off my shoe and sock but I winced trying to hide the pain. I failed miserably!

"Well, here's my foot!" I said out of nowhere trying to fill the silence with some type of sound.

"I can tell!" Al said and lifted my foot up without no warning. Multiple things happened at once. My whole body tensed up and I sucked in air, and I clenched my hands. For some weird reason I went on the defense.

"Al!" I yelled and punched him in the shoulder, not so much that he would pass out but enough to know and understand my pain.

"Ahh… What did I do?" he yelled back getting startled.

"Don't touch my foot!" I yelled back, almost forgetting that I just twisted it and he was going to bandage it up.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. I look up at him and I saw he was looking down a bit. Ok, I'm mean.

"No, I'm sorry, you're just trying to help… I just got all defensive, like that weird feeling, I need to get used to it…" I said and he nodded his head. I then moved so my back was to the arm of the couch and he held my foot really carefully. I shouldn't be able to kick him, even when the feeling comes back because both my feet hurt so much. Mari jumped onto me and laid down on my chest. She's so soft. He then unwraps the bandages and rolled my pant legs up so he could wrap it correctly. Once he grabbed the heel of my foot I winced.

"Sorry," he said noticing my wincing.

"It's fine," I said and he started to wrap my foot. After a while he finally finished. Once he was done my foot look likes a mummy's. He actually did really good on it.

"There you go all better," he said and looked at me and smiled. Somehow Mari fell asleep. I look down and Mari was asleep. I poked at her lightly.

"Mew mew me meow," she said in protest and rolled over falling onto the floor. She just continued to sleep. Wow, cat's can sleep in almost any position. I then look down onto my shirt and there was orange and yellow fur all over my black shirt, looks like if the sun were to puke on the night sky! I carefully sit up straight and Al starts to laugh. After a few moments I started to laugh.

After a while we just stopped. Al then scoots back so he was resting on the other side of the couch's arm. We looked at each other for a while. It's too quiet, besides Mari's excessive purring.

"So what should we do?" I asked aloud and Al shrugged his shoulders.

"Wanna tell jokes or stories?" he asked and I shrugged my shoulders.

"I probably wouldn't know, I still don't remember certain things…" I said and he looks at me.

"Oh, well let's think of something…" he said and laid back further into the couch. I did also and found out it was actually very comfy. I look around and down at my foot, and to Mari, and almost anywhere. After like two minutes I look up at Al and I knew immediately my face blushed. He fell asleep. What the hell, it hasn't even been two minutes and he passed out! I then lightly lift my right foot and lightly poked him in the knee. He lightly grumbles, shifted into a better position and continued to sleep. I then lean forward and narrow my eyes at him. Great, now who am I going to talk to?!

I lean back and look around, maybe I could walk around a bit… Nah, don't want to put too much pressure on my left foot. I then sat up and moved into a better position. While moving I think I disrupted Al because he moves a bit and he rolls off the couch! He falls onto his back and he just laid there. Is he ok? I then went on my knees and looked closely at his face. Yep, he's such a heavy-sleeper they can fall out of bed, or in this case a couch, and still sleep. Mari looks up, awoken, see's Al on the floor, walks over to him, lays on his chest, and fell asleep._ Aww, how come she get's to sleep with him?_ A little voice in my head said. _What!? No, don't think such evil thoughts!_ I then carefully lay down completely on the couch and stretched my legs. I then roll onto my right side, feeling the bruise again, and flipped so I was on my left. I then felt my eyes droop and they closed. I then fell asleep.

* * *

**}-(Winry's POV)-{**

When we finally reach to the house it was already dark.

"Ugh, why did you guys drag me along!" Ed complained for the millionth time.

"Because, Al and Lilly need their alone time!" I yelled back at him.

"Doesn't mean that I couldn't stay!" he yelled and Pinako turns and glares at him.

"Shut your pie hole your shrimp!" she yelled and Ed blew up about being called short.

"Maybe you wouldn't be short if you drink your milk!" Pinako yelled and they got into a verbal fight. _Ugh, really! If only I had my wrench with me._ When we got to the door they chilled out and I grab the keys and unlocked the door. We then blindly walk in and towards the kitchen not even noticing that there was someone in the living room. We all set down the groceries onto the table and Pinako went to go start food.

"Hey Ed, can you go cut some wood?" Pinako asked.

"So that's all I'm good for, huh?" he asked and they had a mini stare down. "Fine," he said and walked out the house. I walk into the living room and turned on the light. I then see the most adorable scene lay out in front of me, if they weren't asleep, I would do a total fangirl scream. Al and Lilly were asleep on the floor and Al had Lilly in his arms. I then waved at Pinako for her to come and look. We both looked in awe.

"Awww, he's all grown up…" Pinako whispers with a smile on her face. "Faster than his older brother… did Ed ever ask you about your feelings towards him?" Pinako asked suddenly turning the situation on me.

"What?" I said in a hushed breath. "How… how did you know?" I asked. We then went upstairs to get them a blanket.

"Hun, I just know things," she said and I tried to blush. I failed. We find one, go downstairs and covered them. We then went to the kitchen to make stew. After Ed finished with the wood he comes in and notices them. I then pulled him into the kitchen before he could say anything.

"Ed, shhh!" i said and he looks at me weird.

"Why? Like, that's my brother!" he said and looks at me.

"So, he has a girlfriend unlike you!" I said with no thought whatsoever… oops… I screwed that up! We both stare at each other in silence.

"Yeah, I guess he does…" he said and turned to walk and possibly mull in the corner.

"Wait!" I said and tried to grab his shirt. I then felt something trip me, possibly a foot. Ed turns around and his eyes widen. I fall onto him and I kid you not my mind just blew up! We both fall onto the floor and it just so happens that his face is right into mine! And so were our lips! Oh my god! My mind went blank and Ed's face turned beat red, like a tomato. I felt my head spin, and Ed wrap his hands on my shoulders and I hear a light laugh, probably from Pinako. I lightly place my hands on his chest and pulled myself up.

We both were breathing hard and we both were staring at each other. "Well… that was… unexpected…" Ed said trying to still breathe. I just nod my head.

Before I could say anything I hear Pinako behind me,"Foods ready you two," she said possibly not knowing what just happened.

"Ok," both Ed and me said at the same time. We both get up without a word and went to eat food. For once it was all quiet and right after we ate we all went upstairs and went to bed. I didn't say a word to Ed about anything but for some weird reason the whole scene repeated over and over inside my head.

* * *

**~-(My POV)-~**

I wake up and I'm surrounded by some type of warmth. I lightly open my eyes and I see Al. Meh, I'm too tired to think. I then close my eyes. Took a second to notice where I am. I snap my eyes open and I look at Al who's sound asleep. I then noticed that someone had their arms around me. _What the hell?!_ I immediately blushed and I tried to not fangirl scream. _What, did I?_ I tried to remember what happened. I think I fell off the couch, landed on top of Al, and he flips to his side and happened to hold my like if I were a stuffed animal!

I tried to move away but Al's grip got a little tighter.

"Don't go yet…" he said slowly and in a tired voice. Eh?

"Why?" I whispered like a retard.

"Because, I want to hold you for a while longer…" he said quietly, for some reason he raised his hand to the top of my head and lightly brushed my hair that made me blush even then fell back asleep. I blushed again and in my head a nuclear bomb of emotions just exploded. What?! I decided to just stay there, it's not like I really felt like moving anyways… I looked around to see if there was anyone else around, but I didn't see anyone. _Hmm, I wonder what time it is. Have the others already come back?_ I looked back at Al and blushed more._ Oh well, I'm too tired and mind-blown to care._ I tried to think of something else but my head started to hurt because the lack of coffee. Wait, does Winry have coffee? I don't know… what kind of FMA fangirl am I? Wait, she doesn't come up that much, it's usually whenever Ed gets homesick or needs her to fix his automail. Such an evil person... that cat-hater! I wonder if they'll ever get together. I thought I had a weird feeling about them.

I then look back at Al and he's sleeping very soundly. Hmm… I wonder… I then mentally slapped myself. Don't think naughty thoughts Lilly! I yelled at myself mentally. I then look back at Al and thought of something worse. I mentally punched myself. Don't kiss the passed out boy Lilly, don't be like her…

Wait, who was she anyways. Was it… Ugh think harder! I squinted my eyes trying to remember. I then felt a pressure and I felt myself falling.

_"Hahaha," I hear a young girl say. I look at her and she has yellow and orange hair. "Stop picking on my Lilly! You too Momo!" she yelled as we dog piled her._

_"Mari and James sitting in a tree," we teased and she squealed in embarrassment, "k-i-s-s-i-n-g!" we continued and she glares at us._

_"It's not that funny you guys, it's just a crush, just stop it!" the girl yelled. I then look at Momo and she was smiling._

_"Never!" both Momo and I said and we all started to laugh._

I felt myself get pulled out of the memory and I felt intense pain in my head. I gasped really loudly and Al woke up. He opened his eyes wide.

"Lilly?" he said once snapping out of his daze. The pain in my head started to hurt even more. "Lilly, you ok?" he asked again and sat up, my hands went immediately went up to my head. "Lilly, tell me something!" he said freaking out. I then immediately remembered the little girl in my memory, it's one of my other buddies, Marigold… Wait. I noticed that my eyes closed so I opened them. I ignored Al and sat up and saw Mari on the couch.

I then went and picked her up. She lazily woke up and I stared into her yellow eyes.

"Lilly," Al said behind me. I hushed him up real quick.

"Is that you Mari?" I asked weirdly. Mari tilts her head. "Marigold, I just remembered, I doubt that what I just had was a coincidence. You're really Marigold!" I said with a hint of hope. Am I just going insane?

"Mew?" she mewed like it was a question.

"You might remember this," I said and smiled. "_Mari and James sitting in a tree,_" she immediately knew and her eyes widened, she then lightly hissed. "See you remember! I knew it wasn't some weird thing! You're really Marigold!" I said with excitement. Mari then lightly nods her head. "What happened, how did you get over here? Why are you a cat?" I asked aloud.

"I might as well stop pretending…" Mari spoke. Both me and Al started to freak out. "Don't freak out!" she said again. Well I didn't expect that to happen. "Um…. Meow… Meow I'm a cat, meow?" she said lightly now sounding like a cat.

"Did you just talk?" Al asks and he was suddenly sitting next to me. I let Mari go and she sat on the couch in front of us.

"Nah, I'm not talking…" Mari said and Al still had a weird look on his face. "You stupid blondes!" she said and sighed.

"I'm not stupid!" he said and I facepalmed myself. I then put my hand on his shoulder.

"Al, you need coffee and bad!" I said and he looks at me all confused. Yep.

"Ohh, coffee!" Mari said and we both look at her.

"So, why didn't you say anything before?" I asked him.

"Because with that little taunt I remembered…" she said and her eyes went wide. She then looked like she was lightly crying.

"Hey what's wrong?" Al asks.

"Lilly, you're not the only one who got…" she said and gulped, "kidnapped…" she said and tears started to fell down from her eyes.


	6. Chapter 6

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own FMA or any of it's characters. Also, everything written before the "one week later" was by dhk and everything after was written by me.**

* * *

**=^(Al's POV)^=**

"Lilly, you're not the only one who got…" Mari said. I still can't understand how she's talking! "Kidnapped…" Mari said and she silently started to cry. I look over to Lilly and she looked like she just saw a ghost.

"No…" Lilly said in total shock. _What the heck is happening? I just woke up what like two minutes ago with…_ I mentally slapped myself, _No Al, don't think like that…_ "No, he didn't…" Lilly whimpered and looked at Mari. "Not you guys either!" she said and it sounded like she was going to cry, what the heck?

"Sorry, Lilly, but it's the truth!" Mari meowed.

"No… What did he do to you?" Lilly asked her possibly forgetting that I was right here. _Lilly, what's wrong?_

"From what I understand he had me around the same time as you… except," she said quietly, trying to keep from crying more. "Just because there's no alchemy doesn't mean there's magic. From what I understand there's an abundance but only few can get to it, he did and that's why I'm a cat. It was hard to keep me in ropes because I knew how to get out of them. He also tried to handcuff me to the wall but I still got out," Mari explained blowing both my and Lilly's mind. "He then mentioned that I was like a cat… he laughed and the next thing I knew I was thrown into a cage and I was a cat…" she said with a sad look.

"How did you get to this side?" Lilly asked with fear in her voice. Mari looked up and she started to shake.

"He... He took me himself, Lilly he's here too..." Mari said slowly with some type of pain. Lilly's eyes got even wider. I thought I saw tears go down her face. She acted, probably not knowing what's happening, she got up and went to the door and ran out. I barely had enough time to react. I totally forgot about everything and ran after her.

"Lilly!" I yelled at her as I watched her run away. I then started to run after her._ Dang it she's fast! And didn't she hurt her foot? Wait where is she going?_ I continued to run after her when I noticed she was walking towards the burnt building. I stop for a moment a little stunned that it's been a long time since I last seen it. I then noticed the situation at hand. I ran up the hillside and I see the perimeter of what's left of the house. I looked around and underneath a nearby tree, Lilly was sitting there with her knees up to her chest. I walked up to her and heard light whimpering. She had her head down and her arms around her head.

I then walked cautiously up to her, "Lilly?" I asked aloud.

"Leave me alone Al," she said trying to calm down. "I don't want you to see me crying," she continued on.

"Are you ok?" I asked her, putting my hand on her shoulder. Once I did, she just broke down. She started to cry aloud and was trying to keep the pain inside, but it wasn't working. I sat on the floor and she seemed to have noticed because she poked only a little bit of her head out of the little ball she had. We both looked at each other and there were tear streaks on her cheeks. _Whoever this guy is that's causing her pain, I will find him and make him pay…_ She blinked a couple of times, still crying, then leaps at me, wraps her arms around my neck, and nuzzled her face into my shirt. I sat there and my eyes widened, _What the..._ I then, somehow, made my arms around her and felt myself blush. My heart started to race and I was scared she was going to hear and find out.

"Lilly, are... What are you doing?" I asked, lightly stuttering. She continued to cry into my shirt and I put my head next to her taking advantage of this moment. My grip lightly tightened and I held her close. _It's ok Lilly, I'll be here for you, don't worry I won't leave you..._

"Al...please don't leave..." she said and the sound was partially muffled through my shirt. I then raised one hand to her head and the other arm got a better grip of her.

"I won't, you just tell me when you're ready to leave," I said and lightly brushed her hair. I don't have any clue what the hell I'm doing! _Why is it that I act like this around her... Oh yeah, it's because I love her, or is it something more?_ I then tilted my head a bit so I could feel her soft hair on my left cheek. She continued to cry for maybe another minute and she started to calm down.

I then feel her breathing go back to normal under my arms. Actually, she's a bit too calm... I looked down and she had her face tilted to the side a bit and her eyes were closed..._Did she just pass out?_ I then raise my hand and lightly brushed her cheeks, they still had tears on them. I think she was really tired and the crying just made her even more tired. I tried to move a bit and I heard her complain a bit.

"Mmmhmmm, don't… leave yet," she said and her eyes slightly open a bit to look at me.

"You tired?" I asked barely noticing my question was a dumb one. She nodded her head. "Do want to go back?" I asked and she shook her head.

"Let's just stay like this a bit..." she said and lightly smiled and closed her eyes. That's probably her exhaustion talking. I then sit back noticing that the tree was right behind me.

I stretched my legs and Lilly moved a bit and her head was on my shoulder and the only thing that's keeping her stable was my shoulder and my arm that was still around her, only supporting her waist. I laid my head back and I too felt tired. I feel all fuzzy... I lightly closed my eyes and I guess I fell asleep because I saw black.

**~-(My POV)-~**

I slightly open my eyes and I can tell it's noon. I feel a light breeze wash over my cheeks and I wonder where I was. _Was all of what happened with Al and Mari a dream?_ I asked myself too soon finding out my guess was too good to be true. I was laying back into Al's shoulder. _Did I just pass out?_ I then look up and he still seems to be sleeping, maybe he didn't sleep that well earlier, with me waking him up in the middle of the night. I knew I blushed and I lightly poked him in the side.

"Hmm?" he said starting to wake up.

"Hey, it's around noon," I said quietly and l look up at him and he looks down at me.

"So, did you have a nice nap?" he asked and I couldn't stop blushing!

"Actually, yes, yes I did," I said honestly just noticing that I did sleep really well.

"Good. Want to go back?" he said and I nodded. I plopped down onto my left, away from Al, and laid like that. Al gets up and I start to stretch. "You even stretch like a cat!" Al pointed out. I nodded my head. I then roll onto my back and held my hand out. He helps me out and my foot feels numb. _Mental note: if your foot hurts, don't run._ "So can you walk?" he asked and I shrugged my shoulders. "Ok, you asked for it," he said and picked me up like earlier.

"Al!" I said and look at him with my eyes narrowed.

"What?" he said with a innocent look.

"Put me down! If I ran earlier I should at least walk!" I said scared that the feeling will kick in and I would knock him out. He did what I said and I touched the floor. "See, now we can walk," I said and started to walk with a bit of a limp. He follows me and we walked in silence. I looked up and the sun was almost setting. _Wow, we've slept for almost the whole day!_ We were walking side by side in the warm light of the sun.

It was a while until one of us said something to the other. "So, you're… hungry?" Al asked probably thinking at the top of his head. We then both heard a rumbling noise and my head started to hurt.  
"Well, I need coffee and I guess you can take that," and I pointed at my stomach, "as an answer." I said and looked up at him, he was suppressing a laugh. "Hey, me without coffee and food is bad!" I said and he then became serious.

"Well, let's go," he said and we continued to walk. Within a few minutes we were already there. We went up to the door and before we knocked on the door the door swung open. Winry and Ed were there and they stared at us for a while. Ed grabs Al and Winry grabs me and drag us to some place in the room and me and Al were separated.

"Lilly, don't freak out!" Winry said in a hushed breath.

"Well that's great, when you say that anybody will freak out!" I said and she shook her head lightly.

"Anyways, we are going to hang out for a few days, because Al and Ed are going back to Central. I guess Roy's bugging for them…" she said and I tilted my head. I then turn around to face the Cat-hater. _Oh my god! When did he appear?_

"Yeah, you can't come…" Ed said in a slow tone.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because, for Al's sake, you're safe here," Ed said and Al was in the opposite corner of the room, probably thinking of what Ed told him.

"What do you mean by safe?" I asked him.

"We can't talk about the mission but trust me. I'm being very serious about this, unless you want to go up against some really mean people you have to stay," Ed said and I crossed my arms. Are they trying to get rid of me? But what I can't help?

"So what I can't help out?" I asked and Ed sighed.

"Al, try convincing her!" Ed said and Winry lightly laughed and they both walked away. Al turns around and comes over to me.

"Lilly, I promise you that you do not want to come," he said and I thought about it. "I promise to write," he offered.

"But…" I said and he cut me off.

"Please?" he said with some sort of tone behind his plea.

"Ok, and just because you asked. And don't forget to write!" I said as he nodded his head. Ed came back with his red coat and a bag. _Wow, they're actually taking a bag?_

"Let's go Al," Ed said and Al turns around.

"Already?" he asked.

"Hey, you had a whole day to hang out with your girlfriend, let's get going," Ed said and I knew immediately that I blushed. Al did also because Ed had to practically drag him out of the house. Once Ed finally got Al out of the house and I watch as they walked down the hill.  
"Hey, it won't be that bad, you get to hang out with me, Pinako and Den…" Winry said and I just noticed she was right next to me. I nodded my head. "So what, you don't want to?" Winry asked probably not knowing I just nodded.

"No, it's not that, I just have a bad feeling about something…" I said and looked at her.

"About what?" she asked.

"I don't know for sure yet…" I said and my stomach growled.

"Are you sure you're not just hungry?" Winry asked and looked at me.

"Umm..."

"Let's get you something to eat, you'll probably feel better after that," Winry said. _Maybe… It's just an idea about what the feeling is but… I feel that something unexpected will happen… err… headache… that something will happen that will flip my whole world upside down… ugh… this headache won't leave! _"Lilly?" I hear Winry call out. I snap out of my daze and I see myself leaning against the couch as some sort of support. "Hey, Lilly, you ok?" she asked and I nodded my head lightly.

"I just have this headache… Do you have coffee?" I asked her.

"No we recently ran out, we could go get some tomorrow," she said and I nodded. "Let's find you some food, I think there's some leftover stew," she said and grabbed my hand and literally dragged me to the kitchen. She sat me down and looked around. She then walked away for a bit. _Ugh! My head!_ I held my head to no avail.

"Here you go," Winry said with a bowl of stew that was hot. _Did I just phase out?_ She places the bowl in front of me and she had one for herself and she ate at the table also. It was really quiet. Not my strong suit.

"Meow!" I hear a cat say. _Mari!_ I turn to look at her and she walks up to me. She then sits on the chair next to me. I lightly patted her and we sat there in silence. Silence is bad!

"So Winry, what do you do when Al and Ed aren't here?" I asked desperately trying to fill the silence.

"I usually work on an extra arm or leg for Ed now that he's been getting himself more in trouble…" she said and sat there contemplating about something.

"Cool…" I said and it was quiet again. The little feeling in the back of my head started to lightly hurt. I know it's not coffee deprivation...just… the thing is, what could it be?

"Lilly," I hear Winry say, "you going to finish that?" she asked and I noticed that she was already done and my stew's cold.

"Yeah," I said quietly and Winry didn't seem sure about something.

"Lilly, what's up with you… you keep phasing out everywhere… like when you were leaning on Al, earlier and just now! You sure you're ok?" she said and looked at me.

"I'm just tired…" I said and looked over to my stew. I quickly finished and kept on glancing at Winry who's not convinced about something. When I finally finished I couldn't find Mari, maybe she took a walk.

"Dang, it's already late!" Winry said and I look outside and it was dark, the only light being the one from the lamps in the room.

"Yeah it is…" I said and Winry took my bowl away and put it in the sink. _Well where will I sleep?_ Almost as if Winry was psychic she offered a bed upstairs. I told her no that I would take the couch.

"Why would you want to sleep on that old thing?" she asked.

"I don't know, maybe because it's very comfy and I just feel more…" I said and something hit me full throttle. _Ugh! I see flashes of images but I can't tell._

"Hey you ok?" Winry asked and I snap out of it. "Dude, you're freaking me out!" she said on edge.

"No coffee is bad for this one…" I said in third person like earlier. "When this one is tired I go crazy…" I said and I think she got more scared.

"Ok Lilly, you can sleep all you want and wherever… just please stop freaking me out! You're worse than Ed and that one time that he…" she said and suddenly started to blush. "Nevermind I'll get you some blankets...wait the one from this morning's on the chair…" she said and walked away very cautiously. She then walked away and was somehow, probably, embarrassed about something…_ I don't know, all I know is that this one is tired._ Once Winry walked away I got a blanket and a nearby pillow, laid down on the couch and fell asleep.

**-_(Cat-Hater's POV)_-**

"Al…" I said and looked at my younger brother who still a little taller. _How is this possible! I'm older than him by a year!_

"What Brother?" he said as he sat at the only desk in the room. _What is he doing?_

"What are you doing?" I asked him and walked up next to him.

"I'm writing to Lilly…" he said quietly. _Knew it!_

"So… What you writing her?" I asked and he started to blush. He then covered his letter.

"Nothing!" he said and I narrowed my eyes.

"Al…" I said and looked at the paper and I lunged for it. I then grab it and Al was trying to fight me for it.

"Give it back brother!" Al said and I didn't get a glance before Al grabbed it from my hand. He then rolled the paper and slapped me in the head with it.

"What did I do?" I yelled innocently.

"You probably wouldn't understand it until Winry writes one to you!" he said and his eyes narrowed and he was blushing very badly. _What is it he's talking about?_

"What are you talking about?" I asked him in sheer confusion.

"Ed, you wouldst't even know how to write a love letter if one slapped you in the face!" he yelled and he quickly shoved the letter in an envelope, and put the details on it and walked to the door. "So you won't understand until you have enough guts to tell Winry about your feelings! Especially the ones you felt when you kissed her the night before we left. At least I'm taking action, what are you doing about it?" Al said and I felt my eyes widen. He then walked out the room probably to send the letter._ So what the letter was… is it really? That sly dog! But still… he's right… I haven't told her anything actually yet.. I wouldn't even look at her!_

Still, I can do something… I then went over to the desk and started to write on a blank sheet of paper.

**~-~-****_One Week Later_****-~-~**

_Ugh, it's so boring around here,_ I thought. A week. It's been roughly a week since those Elric brothers left Resembool. _Jeez, how does Winry cope with them not being here all the time?! I can barely last a week!_ It wouldn't be so bad if I had something to do. Yeah, I've been working on learning alchemy but that hasn't been going very well...

"Grr, I haven't learned a thing about alchemy! It's too difficult to do without someone teaching me," I said and shut the alchemy book I was reading. I set it down and stared at the ceiling. I was laying on the couch in the living room of Winry's house. Winry was out walking Den, but she's be back in a little while with the mail.

"I wonder if there's any news from Central," I thought aloud. I turned and laid on my side and zoned out for a while...

* * *

I must've dozed off while I was waiting because I had to wake up before I saw that Winry had come back. I stretched and sat up.

"Hey Winry. Any mail?" I asked. She looked at the letters she was holding and flipped through them.

"Let's see... Junk, junk, junk, letter for me, junk, junk, ah here you go." Winry handed me a letter, took hers, and put the rest on the table. I quickly took the letter and opened it. I looked at the only two lines on the paper then the little note at the bottom. _What?_ I folded it back up and put it in its envelope. My mind was too fuzzy to think about it right now.

"Who's you letter from?" I asked Winry. She glanced at me and hesitated.

"It's from Ed," she replied. I nudged her with my elbow.

"Ooh, a love letter perhaps?" I joked. She pushed me away and blushed.

"Pfft, no. Ed wouldn't know how to write a love letter even if one slapped him in the face!" I laughed.

"True, true," I agreed. She looked over at my letter.

"I shouldn't have to guess who yours is from?" she asked.

"Nah," I replied. It was obvious it was from Al, I mean who else would be sending me letters? I hardly know anyone!

"Hmm, and what's yours about?" I heard her using the same tone I had when I was teasing her.

"I don't know, it's something I'll have to look at again once I'm completely awake." She nodded and looked back at her own letter. Once I had woken up enough, I took my letter and left to the spare bedroom I was supposed to be staying in. (All my stuff was in there but I slept on the couch) I got the letter out again and grabbed a pencil.

_9x - 7i 3 (3x - 7u)_

_You said you're good at math right?_

_Try to figure this out, solve for "I"_

_=^.^= Al_

"Well, yes, I'm good at math. That doesn't mean I want to do any," I said to the paper, "What's the point of this?" I got the pencil and worked out the problem. _Distribute the 3... Subtract 9x from both sides... Divide by -7... And..._ I was taking my time with the problem, trying to see what the hell this was about.

But when I saw what the answer was, I think my heart skipped a beat.

**_i 3 u_**

I blinked. _Holdonholdonholdon, wait WHAT?! This was a joke, right? I mean, I hoped Al had feelings for me too and it actually wasn't too hard to notice he did. But still!_ I feel like my head just exploded. It's weird, I felt the fangirl in me going crazy and every other part of me wanting to crawl into a hole and hide... Tap, tap. I hear someone lightly knock on my door.

"Come in," I said automatically. Winry peeked in.

"Hey, I figured you came in here after you disappeared. What's up?" she asked and came into the room. I just looked at the letter. She walked over and read it along with the paper I worked out the problem on.

"Ha, who's got the love letter now~?" she asked. I don't know if I was blushing before, but I know for sure I am now. I looked away. "Anyway, it's about time he said something! I bet he's been wanting to tell you forever!"

"Uh, right," I muttered, "I just can't believe it though."

"Why not?" Winry asked.

"It's too unbelievable."

"Well you better start believing! He's going to want some sort of reply to this," Winry said. I sighed.

"Right, right. I'll get to that after I get over my shock, _if_ I ever do," I said and put my head down. _How the hell am I supposed to respond to this!?_

"You guys make such a cute couple you know!" I heard Winry say. I sighed.

"Mmhmm." _You guys have only said it a billion times!_ I attempted to tune out her jabbering but couldn't. It was starting to get annoying...

"Winry, could you _please_ shut up!?" I shouted, "If you want me to reply to this letter then I need you to be quiet so I can think!" She stared at me in shock. I snatched up the letter and walked away. "I'll be back later..." I muttered.

I left Winry's house and started walking towards the burned-down house. _Always on-and-on about that! Can't I just have a moment without them chattering on about what a cute fricken' couple we make?!_ I sat down and leaned against the tree in front of the burnt house. _Ok, calm down Lilly. It's not that big a deal._

"Hey." I heard someone say after a while.

"Hm?" I looked up to see who spoke. Hohenheim stood, peering at me through his glasses. I blinked. _Oh jeez, I never expected to see Hohenheim here._ "Oh, uh. Hi there."

"Hello. Would you mind telling me what a young girl like you is doing at a place like this?" he asked calmly. I growled slightly.

"I'm not that young. I'm 14..." I said, avoiding his question.

"Really? I have a son who's 14," Hohenheim said.

"Yeah, I've met him. Alphonse Elric, right?" I asked.

"And his brother Edward?"

"The Pipsqueak Alchemist," I nodded. He stifled a laugh.

"Yep, that's them," he said. I smiled.

"I'm a friend of theirs, we met over a week ago," I said and glanced at my letter.

"Hmm. How are they doing?" Hohenheim asked.

"Good, I think. They've been in Central for awhile, I've been staying with Winry," I replied.

"I see. How did you meet them?"

"I was in Central, something was going on, and stumbled upon them."

"Getting into trouble as always, are they..."

"Yup," I agreed. "Hmph, that's probably what they're doing right now too." I looked at my letter again. Hohenheim did too.

"What's that you have there?"

"Huh? Oh this. It's a letter from Al..." I replied.

"May I see it?" I hesitated._ I don't want to show him the letter, but I can't say no, he might get suspicious._ I slowly held the letter up for him to take. He did and read it, probably taking a second to work out the problem himself. "My, how clever he's gotten."

"Er..."

"Well you seem nice enough, I don't see any harm in him having a girlfriend. He could use one actually," Hohenheim said and handed me back the letter.

"Uh, um, th-thanks?" I stuttered and took it. He started walking away.

"Tell those two I said 'hi,'" Hohenheim said.

"Ok, I will." I watched him walk away then looked back at the letter. _Well that was strange, I thought, did I just get his acceptance?_

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**A/N: Love it? Hate it? Review it? I'm open for any critique and help, but no flames!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Happy Thanksgiving! :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA at all. Credit for this chapter goes to Dahliaheartkitty**

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**}-(Winry's POV)-{**

I watch as Lilly left the house in frustration. Sometimes it's funny to pick on people when it comes to their feelings, but I think I crossed over a line somehow. _Speaking of feelings, what does my letter say? I haven't yet opened it. I'm not angry, I'm just confused and shocked. Why would Ed be writing to me?! He rarely calls! Unless it's about his automail or some sort of thing like that!_

I then look around and I went to the kitchen where the unopened letter sat on the table. Should I open it, or should I ignore it and leave it somewhere else for a while? I debated and I hear my conscious say something, "Just open it young child, you'll never know what it says until you read it's secrets!" It kinda sounds like Pinako!

I then took the chance and went to open the letter. Part of the letter looks like neat letters until the end where it's dark and seems to be emphasizing something.

**_Winry,_**

_I don't really know why I'm actually writing this damn letter. I think I caught my brother's sickness, but is it really a bad thing? I think it's nothing close to bad because if Al didn't tell me to take action I would probably still be afraid to tell you. I know this is a cowards way of telling you but…_

**_I offer you 90% of my life, will you follow the rule of equivalent exchange?!_**

**_-Ed_**

I look at the letter in shock. _What the hell? What does alchemy have to do with this? What is he talking about? Oh! I am mad!_ I went to look for Lilly. _I'm going to confess and so should Lilly! We will take our fate into our own hands!_

"Where is Lilly, anyways?" I asked aloud.

"Up on the hill where_ it_ used to be…" Pinako says behind me. I turn and look at her.

"Thanks," I said and I look around. "Mari!" I yelled, I heard a mew and she appears. I then told her to stay, grabbed my bag that has my trusty "hitting" wrench, and got what little stuff Lilly had. I then packed up and went to the door.

"Where are you going?" Pinako asks. I was at the door and Mari probably knew my plan and was following me. I open the door and looked back to Pinako.

"I'm gonna take my fate into my own hands and do something Ed won't ever do," I said.

"Do what?" she asks.

"Confess my feelings!" I yelled and walked out the door and headed to Ed and Al's old house.

**~-(My POV)-~**

I watch as Hohenheim leaves the hill._ Did I just get acceptance to date his son? Wait, shouldn't it be the dude that has to be accepted? I don't know for sure…_ I then felt something go through my head and whole body that felt like a shock-wave. After two seconds it ends. _Wait… Didn't I have a weird feeling when Al and Ed left? Yeah I did! I felt that my whole world was basically going to flip around and something unexpected was going to happen. So what the letter wasn't good enough for the feeling to stop? Had to be Hohenheim accepting me to date Al!_

When I thought of what he said I felt my face blush and everything that happened in the last ten, twenty minutes ago. I just couldn't stop blushing. The fangirl inside of me was longing to scream and jump out of the little, thin shell that I put around it when I got the letter. It came out with some sort of sporadic energy!

"OH MY GOD!" I screamed to the world. I then jumped up onto my feet and started to jump! _Yeah! he gave me a love letter!_ I then let the fangirl from inside of me have fun and I soon became tired. The little burst of energy that I had faded away and I slunk to the floor. I then held the letter in my hands and reread it. I still can't believe it! I then held the letter close to my chest.

"So, are you done with your yelling?" I hear a voice call out. I look up and I see Winry. She had a black short-sleeve vest thing on, green baggy pants and her hair was up in a ponytail and she had a bandanna. She looks like she's going to work on some type of automail.

"I guess so, how did you find me?" I asked and knew I lightly blushed remembering her taunting from earlier.

"Pinako told me and I heard you yelling. So what he wrote finally got to your head?" she asks and Mari comes up from behind her.

"Oh, yeah it just sank in," I said trying not to mention Hohenheim.

"Well, the fun doesn't stop here!" she said and I just noticed she was holding two bags, one being mine's and the other possibly her's.

"What do you mean?" I asked. She then walks over to me helps me up and starts to drag me along with her.

"Well I have finally read the letter, didn't understand anything from it, so I'm taking you and Mari with me to Central!" she said and my eyes widened.

"What?" I yelled.

"Yeah, I guess you already got a hint of my feelings towards Ed, so we both are going to confess to the guy's we love!" she said without holding back. _Does she already consider me this close of a friend that she just told me that! Wait, what?!_

"What?" I asked again and she starts to laugh. "I wouldn't know what to tell Al!" I said and we were already at the bottom of the hill. Mari climbs up my back carefully and laid over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"You'll know when you see him…" she said and looks back at me with a devious smile. What is she planning? She then practically drags me to the station, we somehow paid for our Central tickets and we went on the train. Once we were on I was dead silent. _Didn't I want to go back to Central when they were leaving? So why do I have a weird feeling about Central now? It's not me wanting to avoid Al about the letter, oh no I actually, now, want to confront him about it. But I feel that I'm going to meet someone that I'll regret to meeting._

"Hey, you ok?" Winry asks. Is she psychic? She always ask at the right moment.

"Not really," I said truthfully.

"Try explaining why, letting something off your chest usually helps out," she said and I nodded my head. I then explain the feeling and that, very freakily, actually happened. She was shocked also.

"So what's this new feeling you got?" she asked hanging on my every word. Mari finally slinks off my shoulder and falls onto my lap, still asleep.

"I feel that I'm going to regret meeting someone, I don't know really for sure. Heck, this is the first time this happened!" I said and she nodded her head.

"Ok…" she said and thought about it also. "Actually, this is the first time I heard of this," she said with a curious attitude. "We should tell Al and Ed about this, they might know something," she said and I lightly nodded my head becoming really tired. I put my head against the window and I fell asleep without even realizing it.

* * *

_I wake up and it's pitch black. I couldn't hear and see anything. I, uncontrollably, remembered the whole month in solitude. I panicked._

_"Al! Winry! Mari! Ed!" I said even saying Cat-Hater's name. I don't care if I called him short and he get's mad, this time I wouldn't care I would probably hug him if I had to deal with him instead of this pitch black darkness._

_"You're alone Lilly," I hear a dark voice that reminds me of Lust and the homunculi. No, they're dead from what I remember, all except Greed if I got it right, can't seem to remember. I turn around expecting to go somewhere else but I still stayed in the darkness._

_"Why?! Let me out!" I screamed and it seemed to echo._

_"You're alone here Lilly, most of us aren't even alive," I hear another voice call out that reminds me of Envy._

_"I know who you are! You're the homunculi!" I yelled and I hear different types of laughing._

_"Can I eat her, Lust?" I hear another voice call out._

_"No Gluttony, we're dead remember," Lust said and I hear Gluttony cry in anger._

_"It's not my fault that Pride ate me!" he yelled and I hear a heavy sigh._

_"Just shut your trap, Gluttony!" I hear Envy call out._

_"Why am I here?!" I screamed at them._

_"We didn't call you girl," I heard someone else call out, so Greed is dead!_

_"Who did?" I called out._

_"I did," I hear a voice and there was blinding light and I'm in a room that has windows and the moonlight was shining inside, it's a full moon. I turn around and I see... Him!_

_"What... What are you doing here?" I said with some sort of fear in my tone._

_"I called you Lilly, it's time to awaken your powers..." he said and I hear another voice calling out to me. "Damn it!" he yelled and I forcefully get pulled out of my dream._

* * *

"Lilly!" I hear and someone shakes my shoulder. My eyes snap open.

"What!?" I shout and I see myself back in the train.

"We are here, come on." She said and I see Mari slumped over her shoulder, she seems to be sleeping a lot. I nodded and followed her out. We look at the room and it's crowded with people, like almost always!

"Where are we going again?" I asked knowing I'm low on coffee.

"I really don't know where they are, maybe we could look for someone that knows them and ask where they are. Mari wakes up and yawns and jumps down soon noticing the people. She then climbs up me and has a hold on my shoulder. I shook my head to shake the weird feeling I had.

"Well let's get going," I said and we walked out of the building and down the street. We walked around for almost an hour until I see familiar golden hair. Al!

"Al!" I yelled and I see him and his brother turn around the corner. They then see me, Winry, and Mari and the look on their faces! They looked scared about something. Their eyes were wide and they took glances at each other. Ed then elbows Al and they both turn around and start to walk away.

"What the hell?! Get back here!" Winry yelled and ran after them. I did also but I dropped Mari in the process and she ran behind me. We ran and caught up to them. I grab the back of Al's shirt, pulled him back, and made him fall to the floor. I then walked in front of him and leaned over and looked at him. He can't get away unless he wants to hit me in the process. His brother was a little ways ahead and Winry was busy with him. I don't really remember where Mari disappeared to but I'm dealing with Al at the moment.

"Al…" I growled and the look on his face got even more scared.

"Lilly…." he stuttered. "What are you doing here?" he finally asked. I had the letter in my pocket so I grabbed it, and I showed it to him.

"Does this look familiar?" I said and showed it to him. He then started to blush really badly and I knew I was slightly blushing because my face felt warm.

"No…" he said trying to deny it.

"Yes it does," I said and he looks defeated and his head slumped and he didn't want to look at me. I narrowed my eyes. Winry drags me over here to see him and confess and he won't even look at me! I then grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him up shocking him. He looks at me and we both had eye contact.

"Ok, so what if I did?" he said lightly and looks at me scared of what I'm going to reply.

"Try to guess why I came over here to find you?" I asked and he thought about it. My hand lost it's grip and it dropped to my side.

"Well… maybe you wanted to see Central again?" he guessed hopefully. "I wouldn't know ok!" he said before I could say anything.

"So, you're like your brother in this sense, you two will never tell!" I said and the inner me came out in a bad mood. What's wrong with telling me, or at least asking me about my feelings!

"Hey, I wrote the letter!" he said and I narrowed my eyes at him trying to not let all of my emotions go sporadically loose. One of them especially because it just wants to break down and cry.

"It's not the same!" I said and I felt a tear go down my cheek. No Lilly, no crying.

"Ok, so maybe I am like Ed but at least I tried!" he said and took a step back. "Sorry I can't tell you…" he said and started to walk away. _What!? Wait, why is he leaving?_

"Al! Why are you leaving?!" I yelled back at him and the anger inside of me got even angrier, no matter what I'm doing my feeling are fighting back and I'm having weird mood swings. I ran after him and grabbed the back of his shirt. "Who said you can leave! I'm not done yet!" I said and he turns around. He looked like he was going to break and become something new, and possibly let all his feeling loose.

"What," he said plainly wiping all expressions from his face. He looks like he's about to burst into tears still.

"I never got to tell you what I want to say. The real reason why Winry dragged me along with her here!" I said and slumped my shoulders a bit and looked at his golden eyes. He tried to break the eye contact and he was looking at my lips. "It's about the letter, Al I…" I said and found out that it was a bit hard to actually tell. "I… I love…" I said biting my lip. Now I can't say it! Once I finally had the courage I spoke. "I love you-" I said immediately getting cut off. I then began to feel lightheaded. My eyes widened and I am totally sure of it, I am blushing and I'm becoming more and more lightheaded the more I'm realizing what is happening.

His lips were against mine. My mind exploded and I started to freak out. I placed my hands on his shoulders lightly and he then wrapped his arms around me. _This is awkward! This is… what should I do?!_ I must be a weird wide-eyed freak right now. He pulls away and looks at me. "Lilly, if that didn't tell you anything, I love you too," he said and I hugged him before he could say anything else. He just took my breath away. I wrapped my arms around his neck and and I had my lips near his ear.

"You didn't let me finish, I said 'I love you too'…" I said and we both stood there in shock. _Where did that come from?_ Before I can explain it I hear someone familiar.

"Lilly and Al, standing in Central!" they teased. We break from the hug and I see Winry and Ed standing there pointing at us with weird faces. "K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" they continued and we both started to blush. Ed had one of his arms around Winry and the same went for Winry.

"Who's the one getting taunted now?" I hear another voice, we all stop and looked down, Mari was sitting between both us and Ed and Winry. There's a pretty big gap.

"Did… the cat just talk?" Ed said and they both put their arms down.

"Shut up you freaking Cat-Hater!" Mari said and Winry's and Ed's eyes went wide.

"Mari, how are you talking?" Winry asked.

"Well, long story short, this mean psychopathic magician in mine, Lilly's and Momo's world kidnapped us and held us in different rooms, separated, luckily I kept getting out of my holding bandages and he ends up changing me into a cat and threw me in a cage and there was magic in our world and we were held for about a month when Lilly finally got out by kicking the dude in the face but sadly something happened, there was this big circle outside and Momo was in the center with me, Lilly didn't see us but she came to us and he shot her with a gun and slowly the circle became more detailed and because Lilly was practically dying her blood spread around and there were circles on the outside and there were also dead animals and their blood mixed with Lilly's and suddenly she started to heal from her wound and then it became dark and there was this black circle filling the one from the ground and suddenly a huge eye appears and the dude walked to us and Momo looks at him and was like, "Let's get going master," and then I see dark and I end up here and I see Lilly sitting on a bench, but at the moment I didn't remember her because I think that our memories got mixed up, and then we went and ended up meeting you guys and you two should know the rest, up until about a week ago, the day you guys actually left Lilly had this weird dream and she taunted me like we used to when we were young because back then me her and Momo were like best friends forever, and so when she did that I remembered that I could talk in this form so I was like "I guess I shouldn't hide it," and both Lilly and Al freaked out like you two were, so then I explained that the kidnapper came with us over to this world Lilly freaked and left and so did Al and I was left alone later that day Ed and Al left and Lilly started to get weird feelings that weirdly enough happens and so a week later we get the letters and we both leave to come over here, from what I understand Winry came to kick Ed's ass because his letter was very confusing and it weirdly enough involved alchemy and she was like "what does alchemy have to do with this," and Lilly came because one Winry dragged her and two she wanted to tell Al that she loved him so I was kinda alone for a bit and then I see Al and Lilly making out and Winry and Ed appears holding to each other like magnets and you guys taunt both Lilly and Al and then I had to put my two sense in and talk and you guys started to freak out like you just did and-" she said and we all yelled at her.

"Stop talking!" She stopped.

"How is that long story short?" Ed asks getting upset.

"Well, I wasn't finished, and weird enough it is short compared to what I was going to say…" Mari said with too much enthusiasm, all I can picture now is a sassy black lady.

"Well, you should have kept quiet, you were actually a lot better acting like a cat than actually talking. You were a lot more quiet," Ed said starting a stare down with Mari.

"Shut it Cat-Hater," she said and they continued to stare.

"Make me cat…" he said and they both had flames in their eyes.

"Cat Fight!" I hear a yell a little ways away. Who was that. I then see a young girl walking towards us. She had black hair that reaches halfway down her back, she had tanned skin and she was making her way towards us.

"Who are you," Ed and Winry said in perfect harmony, this mystery girl stole all of our attention and was making her way to us. Mari's eyes widened.

"Dahlia!" she yelled and started to run to her. She then jumps and Dahlia's eyes looked sad, she caught Mari and hugged her. "How did you get here?" she said and Dahlia looks at the scene more closely.

"Well I wasn't just going to leave you alone, I did a tracking spell on you. After a couple times of failure I found you, just in the nick of time to jump into that weird circle and magically get over here… I wasn't going to leave you sis," she said and held Mari tighter.

"So who are you?" Ed said and Dahlia looks up at him.

"I know you, you…" she said and smiled. "Shrimp…" she said and Ed blew up.

"Wait, how do you know Brother?" Al asked.

"Television, didn't Lilly explain it? Our world has stories about other worlds. They just unintentionally write them thinking it's all fake when it's actually real." Dahlia explained.

"Well that's interesting," Winry said and she and Ed finally break apart from their side hug. "So you know a lot about our world?" she asked some more.

"I do know a lot," she said and we all walk so we can talk to each other without yelling. I then finally remembered Dahlia!

"So you're here also," I said and she nods her head.

"How did you find us?" Al asked and Dahlia looks at us.

"Well, from what I understand is that nearly all of my magical powers were switched with, what you guys call, alchemy. I know nearly nothing about it other than that all I have to do is clap my hands and touch an object…" she said and looks down probably feeling bad that all her years of working on being the best magician was put to waste.

"Did you make a transmutation circle and tried out the alchemy?" Ed asks being intrigued. "How did you find out you can use alchemy?" he asked another question.

"No, I didn't use a transmutation circle, but how I found out was that I was trying to use a spell that happens to involve clapping your hands and touching an object. It didn't go as I expected… I didn't move it with ease, the rock disintegrated to ash…" she said and all our eyes went wide.

"Wait, so you saw the gate of truth?" Ed and Al asked.

"The weird shadowy figure, yeah we talked for a bit…" she said and our mouths dropped.

"Wait, what price did you pay?" I asked.

"Well…" she said, probably trying to remember. She looks down. She sets Mari on the floor and takes a step back. "I need to leave…" she said and walked back a step before we stopped her.

"What was it, Dahlia?" we all ask.

"My blood… my humanity… I'm not… entirely human anymore… I'm something new, different, my heart's not the same, it's now a… red jewel that emits death…" she said and tears welled up in her eyes. "I'm a demon now…" she said and slinks to the floor.

"What? A red jewel…" Ed said and thinks of something. "A philosopher's stone?" he asked and Dahlia nods his head.

"That's what it is! He put it in me!" she said, starting to cry. "I remember everything now! I was talking to some creature named Truth and since I didn't have anything to pay he said that he would send me here only to be brought back. At the moment I didn't understand him when I actually set foot here. There was a big explosion and a piece of the rubble came flying down and through my chest. 'He' was there and in my last look of life he pulled the stake out and shoved the stone into my chest and left me for dead. I passed out and when I gained consciousness I was in the middle of a pack of wolves. I somehow got in the middle of a forest. The wolves feared me and I guess I was turned into an Alpha because they started to bow before me…" she said and looked around. She looked in this one alley and there was a bit silhouette of something massive.

"So why didn't you say anything before?" Mari asked.

"I was scared of telling you guys…" she said and it started to turn dark. Wait, we've been out here that long, dang.

"This is confusing me…" Winry said with blank eyes in total confusion.

"Let's go somewhere so we can talk in peace without people watching…" Ed said and we all nod our heads.

"Where can we go is the question…" Al said and we all look around.

"We probably could go to the hotel we were in the last time we were here," I said. Al, Ed and Mari nod their heads.

"Let's get going, Lilly you lead the way," Winry said and it finally got dark. But I'm a horrible leader…

"You sure you want to do it Lilly, you are a horrible leader…" Mari said and I look down to her. Did I just say that aloud? "Yep, yes you did," Mari continues. We all look at her with a weird look.

"Mari…" I said and Dahlia starts to laugh.

"Well Marigold, you're a little mind-reader aren't you…" she said and stopped laughing. "Wait, if you can use your power then…" she said and shook her head. "We should get going, I don't have a very good feeling right now," she said and we all nod our heads.

"I'll lead the way then," Al said and we started to walk. _Wow, so we meet Dahlia… Almost forgot about her too…_

_After like 20 minutes we reach the hotel._

"So should we turn in for the night and talk about this in the morning?" Dahlia asks. "I'm especially tired because I ran from the next city over to get here on time because I had to do something…" she said and turned to another alley.

"Why do you keep looking over your shoulder?" I asked. Suddenly a huge massive thing comes at us. I turned around and I swear I saw a huge wolf. But the next second it was this dude that's a little taller than Dahlia. He had black short longish hair and he was also tanned, what stood out was that his eyes were a light hazel brown that strangely turned dark.

"Who are you?" Ed asks and Winry looked like she was going to say the same.

"I'm an acquaintance of Dahlia's…" he said standing next to Dahlia.

"Tch, more like pack mate," Dahlia said and I probably could speak for the group that weird just got strange.

"Who are you? You never told me your name," Ed said getting to his limit.

"The name's Mylo," he said and looked at us still keeping close to Dahlia.

"Ugh, Mylo I'm fine! Just stop worrying all the time, I should be fine!" Dahlia says out of the blue.

"You sure?" Mylo said and they seem to be having their moment.

"You guys can go get the rooms, I have to knock some sense into Mylo," she said and looks at us. We all look to her. Ok Dahlia you do that…. We all then went into the hotel and we finally get some rooms. We figured that the girls should stay in one room while the guys stayed in the other. But our idea failed because the last three rooms available only had two beds in each, so we had to separate into pairs so then everyone had a bed, except Mari, she's a cat. We then pulled straws in order to figure out who sleeps where. Winry got stuck with Ed and I got stuck with Al. Yeah… the last rooms are Dahlia's, Mylo's and Mari's. We all separated and Al and I went into our room.

"Well at least you won't be in the dark alone," Al said trying to lighten the mood.

"Yeah, you have a good point," I said and claimed one bed. He went to sit on the other. I was on the edge. I laid back and before I knew it I passed out.

* * *

**A/N: Ka-BOOM goes mah brain... Me hopes you enjoyed chapter 7! ^w^**


	8. Chapter 8

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own FMA and I don't think I wrote any of this chapter either.**

* * *

**~-(My POV)-~**

_I open my eyes and I look around, it's dark. Where am I? So far from what I know I'm wearing a shirt that feels to end around my shoulder, like a vest, and I'm wearing shorts. I tried to sit up and I noticed that there were chains holding me to the floor. For some weird reason I don't feel the same. I look to my side and there was a torch and it was lit on fire. The whole room slowly started to light up. I look to my side and I noticed that instead of brown, blondish hair I had pure raven black hair. That and my skin was tanned. If I had to guess I looked like Dahlia! What the hell?_

_I then notice this huge pain searing down my back. I screamed out in the sudden pain._

_"Well, guess who decided to wake up?" I hear a dark voice say and it seems familiar. Is it him?_

_"Let me go," I growled at him and I noticed that I had no control in the body I'm in, maybe I'm just to watch from the inside. The pain started to grow a little bit and I noticed that I started to growl at the man like if I were an angry dog._

_"No, you have to go through the transformation, deary," he said and he turns around. I couldn't depicted his details because he was hiding in the shadows. I noticed that he was going to the wall. He opens the curtains and the full moon was shining in. My whole body started to burn for some reason and the body I'm in seemed to change._

_"Let... Me... Go!" I growled and it started to not sound anything human, more, wolfish._

_"Have fun," he said and he seemed to leave. I look closely around me and the pain grew and I could feel my body break and reshape. I started to scream. I fought against the chains holding me down. After a few seconds they broke and I tried to stand up but fell to my knees. My back arched and my knees popped. I could feel my rigs spread apart and the rest of my bones reshape._

_**What the hell did that man do to me?**__ I hear a voice call out in my head, must be whoever's body this is, it's Dahlia!_

_"Please stop," I whimpered and I looked at my hands. They weren't hands anymore, more like huge furry paws. I felt one more break that seemed to click everything in my body together. I drop to the floor. Many of my senses started to heighten and I could smell, very weirdly, silver. I could feel my body start to pull and tug, I stood up and instead on two legs I was on four. I look around and I saw a mirror._

_In it was a huge black and brown wolf. This is Dahlia's body, so... She's a... Werewolf?_

_"Lilly!" I hear my name call out. I then felt my soul, or something like that, get pulled out of Dahlia's body and left her in the room, trapped and surrounded by silver._

* * *

"Lilly, wake up!" I heard someone call out and felt a shaking feeling on my shoulders. I snapped my eyes open and I noticed that I was crying because my cheeks were wet. I looked up and saw Al, did I wake him up again? "Lilly, are you ok?" he asked, he both looks and sound scared. _That's weird, in my dream my senses were heightened and they still are._

"What happened?" I asked, totally confused. Al sits back and I sit up. His eyes widened and before I could say anything else he lunges at me and hugs me. I felt a little cold sensation go up my back.

"You were screaming... You had another nightmare..." he said and my eyes were wide. He took me by surprise, my arms then somehow made their way around him.

"Oh.. So-" I said and the door swings open and light comes into the room. Dahlia was in the threshold. She then comes over to us. Both Al and I broke from the hug and she comes to us. She looks both hurt and pissed off. Oh my god, she's scary.

"What do you think you're doing?" She said and grabbed the top of my shirt. It was then really quiet.

"Put her down," Al said and was about to grab Dahlia when she looks at him and lightly growls.

"Stay out of this!" She growled and we both had shivers. What the hell is going on. She had me by the top of my shirt and I was hanging there.

"Dahlia, put me down," I said and she looks back at me, her eyes were a very light golden brown and seems to glow. Wasn't her eye color dark brown.

"Not until you give me answers, come," she said and dragged me by my arm out of the room. We were in the hallway and she pushes me against the wall. "Why were you in my dream!" She growled.

"I don't know!" I said and she lifts me up.

"You should know, you were there!" She growled and I hear someone come towards us.

"Dahlia stop it..." I hear a voice, both mine and Dahlia's head snaps to face who it was, it was Mylo!

"No, I want answers!" Dahlia growled. _What the hell is going on?_

"Let her go-" Mylo said and Dahlia starts to growl again. She sounds like a rabid dog!

"Shut up Mylo!" She yelled and soon Al was outside and so was Ed.

"Hey put her down," Ed said and Dahlia's fists start to clench. "Holy crap, when were your eyes golden?" he said and Mylo walk towards us.

"Dahlia," he said and she looked at me and then back to him. I'm starting to loose air. I then tried to get her to let me go. She looks back at me and Mylo got her, he pushed her back and I fell to the floor coughing and trying to get air.

Mylo had pushed her till almost the end of the hall. Al makes his way towards me and tried to help me out.

"I'm fine, I just need air," I said quickly.

"Stand down and listen to your Alpha!" Dahlia growled. Mylo spread his arms and shook his head.

"This is not like you Dahlia, even after you had the dream," he said and Dahlia was on her legs and was close to the ground. I then started to smell something funny, silver.

"She was there! How was she in my dream!" She growled and Mylo probably smelt what I was smelling.

"Dahlia, stop," he said and carefully walked to her. She crawled back until she was near the wall. "I just want to check something," he said when he got close to her. Before she could move he grabbed both her arms and pushed them to the wall, she was almost a whole foot off the floor.

"What the hell is happening?" Ed asked and Dahlia was thrashing around. I looked closely and there was something stuck to her neck. Mylo grabbed it, winced, pulled it off of Dahlia and she stopped thrashing. He then quickly threw it to the side like if it was burning him.

"What the hell is happening?" Ed asked again getting mad.

"I don't know yet Cat-hater!" I said and Mylo let's go of Dahlia and she started to sway and he caught her before she fell to the floor. He picked her up like she weighed like nothing. He then walks over to us.

"It's a long story, just wait," Mylo said and Al grabbed his arm.

"Why was she doing that? And why did she almost kill Lilly," he asked in a serious tone, I then stood up and I was breathing normally again.

"It's hard to explain, but she wasn't doing it on purpose, it was something else making her act that way," he explained and Al lets him go and nods his head. Mylo then leaves the hallway probably putting Dahlia back into bed. After a few seconds he comes out. I hear a door to the side of me open and I see Winry come out too. She seems half asleep because she was basically dragging her feet.

"What's up with all the yelling and growling? Did someone let a dog in?" she asked looking at us. She then looks at Ed.

"Long story," he said for some reason turning red.

"Well, it's too late to be awake," she said and grabbed him and started to pull him to the room and the door shut behind them. Both me and Al look at each other and we lightly laughed a bit. Mylo just stood there all confused. After a little bit we both stopped laughing.

"So umm... Are you going to explain something?" I asked Mylo.

"Oh, well..." he said pausing a bit to yawn and scratch his head trying to think. "It's a bit too late to be awake right now, so yeah, see you two later," he said and continued to yawn. He then walks back to the room and shuts the door behind him. Both me and Al were then left alone in the hall.

"So, we should go to bed too shouldn't we?" Al asked and I nodded my head and yawned. We both then go into the room and I sat on one of the beds. I felt a chill go down my spine and I remembered the dream. It was all too real...

"You're worrying about the dream aren't you?" Al said and I look up at him. I nodded my head.

"Is it that obvious?" I asked and he sits next to me.

"A little bit," he said and I nodded my head. I could still, very little, the pain that she was experiencing. _Why is it that almost everyone I know has something against the man!?_ "Lilly, you tired?" he asked and I nodded my head.

"Yeah, but I don't want the chance to get the dream again…" I said and he nods his head.

"What normally calms you down?" he asked and I tried to think about it.

"Well, reading, writing my thoughts… sometimes singing…" I said and I see him ponder about something.

"Try singing," he said and I look at him.

"What?" I asked now realizing that it was retarded.

"Sing that song that you sang the last time we were here," Al said and I knew I blushed. What? He want's me to sing in front of him.

"You know that it'll make me even more nervous. That won't calm me down one bit…" I said and he looks down.

"Well, what are you supposed to do? It's the middle of the night! You have to sleep too, the nightmare probably tired you out," he said and I nod my head.

"Yeah, you're right but I should still be fine…" I said and looked at him. "You should go to bed, I'll stay up a bit…" I said and he looks at me.

"No, if you won't go to bed I won't," he said starting to become very stubborn.

"Fine," I said and looked at him. "The reason why I don't want to go to bed is that I don't want to have the dream again, or anything like it…" I said and we stayed quiet for a while. I'm so tired I can't think straight.

"Ok, well… Will you fall asleep if I'm watching over you?" he offered noticing he was tired also. I started to blush and I looked at him.

"That'll be awkward," I said and he laughs a little bit.

"Well, any great ideas?" he asked and I shook my head. "Then lay down and fall asleep," he said and I shook my head. "Do I need to sleep with you to get the idea of 'you need your rest' idea planted in your head?" he asked and my face started to blush even harder. I just want to go somewhere alone and crawl up and hide, did he really say that?

"What… what?" I said stuttering and he started to blush.

"Ok, not in that sense…" he said and started to blush even more.

"Things just went from awkward to extremely awkward," I said and he shakes his head.

"Will you just go to bed? I'll be here, if you fall asleep I'll fall asleep," he said and I sighed.

"So you're stuck with this idea, fine, just…" I said and shook my head trying to clear it. "I'm going to bed, I'm too tired I don't care about the dream anymore…" I said and laid down. I just laid there and I was still a bit scared to close my eyes.

"You're not falling asleep…" Al said and I look at him.

"Why are you so worried about me going to bed?" I asked him.

"Because, I don't want you to lose sleep. What if I go to bed and you don't. I don't want you to stay awake all night," he said and I sighed again. He leans back and laid next to me. "Just go to bed, alright, a lot of stuff is going to happen tomorrow, I can feel it…" he said and I nodded my head.

"Fine, you win…" I said and closed my eyes. I immediately pass out.

* * *

_I open my eyes and see I'm somewhere dark. Please! Just one dream where I'm not in the dark?_

_"Well well well," I hear a voice and someone tisk in time. "Look who I happen to stumble upon," the voice says again. I tried to step forward but I noticed that I was chained against a wall.__** Iron chains I can smell them…**__ I then see lights turn on and I see him right in my face. I then snap at him like a rabid dog. Am I back in Dahlia's body, why am I here?_

_"Let me out!" I growled at him. "Let me out! What use am I to you?" I yelled at him._

_"You are my experiment deary, you're just the start in this world," he chuckled and turned and I look down to see candles and a circle of some sort of plant. I growled at it. What the hell Dahlia? Are you some sort of dog?_

_"Wolfsbane!" I yelled and he started to laugh some more._

_"To ensure you don't leave the circle and go through the second transformation…" he said and turned around once he was about a few meters away. "Just to make sure you can, once that happens I'll take away the circle and silver in the vicinity," he said and I tilt my head._

_"How about letting me go?" I asked, he shook his head._

_"No…" he said and I heard howling in the background. "Their here…" he said and his eyes went wide. He cursed a couple words in a foreign language and left the room, but not forgetting to open the curtains that let in the full moon. My whole body started to sting including the scar on my back. I could smell that he was long gone. I screamed out in pain that started to not sound human the more time that past. I then hear a door shatter and a huge black wolf charges in. I then look at it through the puddles of tears going down my cheeks._

_"Hey, shh.." it said with gentle eyes. It didn't speak aloud. One second it was a huge wolf and the second it was a person. He was tall, he had black short longish hair and he was tanned a little bit. He then walks over to me.__** I know what he is, he's a wolf shifter also…**__ He then looks down at the circle of wolfsbane that was around me. He then looked around and conveniently there was a broom in the vicinity. He then get's it and sweeps the plant away. I felt a sharp searing pain throughout my body. I started to scream some more. "Hey, calm down," he said in a gentle voice trying to calm me down. "Try to control it, it's now part of you, don't fight it…" he said and walks to me and places his right hand on my cheek. I then lifted my face to look at him since he's a bit taller than me._

_"It hurts…" I said whimpering from the pain. He then grabs the chains chaining me to the wall and he rips them apart like if they were were paper. I fell to the floor and he catches me. We both then kneel to the floor and he held me by my shoulders._

_"Conquer it…" he said looking at me. His eyes barely changed to their natural color. They were a dark, hazel color that looked like the night of a new moon. I then felt the pain resurface and I screamed out. "Conquer it!" he yelled at me. I then took his advice and let go and let it become one with me. Didn't take that much, because once I did it all stopped. The pain, everything, it just stopped. I felt lightheaded and I closed my eyes. I fell into this mystery dude's arms and I was lulled to sleep by his scent. The forest smell._

* * *

I wake up and I was laying on the bed. I then sit up and I look to the corner. I see Al standing there with bug eyes and we both held our breath. He was in the middle of changing! His shirt was off! Luckily his pants are on… I didn't know he had abs… I immediately blushed and so did he. He then rumbles around for a shirt and I just couldn't stop and look away. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME!? I then finally had control of my body and I stood and turned around.

"Sorry…" I said and I finally remembered how to breath.

"It's fine, just horrible timing," he said and I didn't want to turn and look at him. "I'm done," he said and I still didn't turn around.

"Sorry…" I said nervously.

"Hey, it's ok, I've been through worse…" he said and I hear him shiver. I turn around. He was wearing a sweater and was walking towards me.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"There's someone, Major Armstrong…" he said and breathed. He looked a bit scared.

"Who's he?" I asked totally forgetting the person. I should know!

"Someone I hope you shouldn't meet sometime soon," he said and looked at me.

"Oh, well, you leave so I can change," I said and shoved him towards the door.

"So, you have to repay me for that little moment sometime soon," he said with a cocky smile. My eyes widen.

"You're joking right?" I asked and stood there.

"Nope," he said and his smile got wider.

"Um… let me think about that, no!" I said and opened the door and shoved him out and closed the door behind me. Why did we get the shorter sticks? I then locked the door and I went to what little things I had and quickly changed. Once finished I started to get a headache. _Coffee._ I open the door and Al was leaning against the wall. He then looks over to me.

"Hello," he said and I walk out and closed the door.

"Yeah, good morning," I said and started to walk downstairs.

"Hey, I'm sorry for teasing you," he said and grabbed my arm and flipped me around. I narrow my eyes at him.

"Don't forget Elric, I knocked you down once…" I said and he tilts his head.

"Why you in a bad mood?" he asked.

"Because I'm really low on coffee, my buddy last night almost bit my head off, and you wanted a 'peek' at me," I yelled at him not noticing we were in the hallway.

"Hey, I'm sorry," he said and looked really sincere.

"Yeah, I don't think 'sorry' is good enough," I said now regretting what I'm saying, I shouldn't take it all out on him. I then got out of his grasp and started to walk back until I hit the wall. I look up and his golden eyes were right there.

"Hey, I really am. It wasn't right to pick on you," he said and looked up at me. "Will you accept my apology?" he asked putting on the little boy look.

"Yeah…" I said and looked down a bit. When I looked up he was standing there confused.

"We aren't even you know that?" he said and had the smile from earlier.

"So how will I repay you?" I asked.

"Like this," he smiled and the whole area got quiet. He grabs my chin gently and tilts it up to him. We both had eye contact and I had my eyes wide. Is he? He gently places his lips on mine and my mind exploded. My mind was haywire and I wanted to let myself loosen up and kiss him back but thing is… I place my hands on his chest and lightly pushed him away. He steps back and looks at me, he looks so awkwarded out.

"Sorry," he said and I shook my head.

"No, it's not you, it's just…" I said and started to blush. "It's just that, that's my first, no second time kissing," I said and the silence between us is awkward. Then something in my head started to click, like an idea. "Al, where's Marigold again?" I asked out of the blue. He looks at me weird, I think I confused him.

"I don't know," he said and I lift my head to the air and took in the smells. What the hell, did some of Dahlia's doggie-ness rub off onto me. "You ok?" Al asked and I walked forward and pushed him aside and went to one of the rooms. I open the door and there was no one in there. Except Marigold who was sleeping on one of the beds. Luxuries of being a cat I guess, they can sleep all day. I then walked towards her and I hear Al walk and stop at the threshold.

I walked over to Mari and place my right hand on her head and my thumb on her little forehead. "Lilly, what are you doing?" Al asked. For some reason I know what I'm doing but at the same time I don't.

"**Da quod ultimum potentiae. Solebat unum felis. Elegit forma consilia dare. Ubi et quando vult mutare. Esse tamen electionem novi veteribus da. Nouam Fiat novum humana et sit felis. Et elegit eam viam suam, et cum ea mutare velit. Tu ergo non esse corporis, sed animae shifter. Hoc unum esse hominis et feles, et ipsa in maledictionem donum!**" I said slowly and with some enunciation. How the hell do I know this?

How did "Give this being the ultimate power. Change into the one it used to be. Give it the choice to chose a form. Wherever and whenever it chooses to change. Give it the choice to be the old yet the new. Let it be a newer new, and let it be a cat yet human. It shall chose it's own path, and change whenever it likes. Let thou being be a shifter of the body but not of soul. Let this one be a human and cat, let her curse become a gift!" become Latin? Wait how did I remember all that?

Mari wakes up and she looks at me. She then starts laughing. "When did you know Latin Lilly," she said and her eyes went wide. "Al get out!" she yelled and he freaked. The door behind him closed.

"I don't know what happened…" I said and she ran underneath the blankets. I stand up trying to understand what just happened. Soon Mari started to shake and soon enough she didn't look like a cat, more human. "Mari?" I asked aloud and I see a yellow and orange head pop out and her cover herself with the sheets. She then looks at me. Is Mari human again. I'm so confused. I then felt really light headed and I fell to the floor.

"Al get in here! Something happened to Lilly!" I hear her yell and Al opens the door and looks around. My head started to hurt and I closed my eyes. I saw total darkness and muffled voices.

* * *

**A/N: Chapter 8! Finally posted it on ! Hope you liked the chapter.**


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